Qc2DqYQsAQIHw&biw=1366&bih=657#imgrc=_

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The discussion centers around the fascination with patterns found in nature and their significance. Participants express intrigue over various natural shapes, such as those in flowers, animals, and even common objects like cabbages. The conversation explores the evolutionary perspective on why humans are drawn to patterns, suggesting that recognizing them may have survival advantages, such as identifying predators or safe food sources. There is also a philosophical angle, debating whether the attraction to patterns has a mystical quality or is simply a byproduct of evolutionary processes. The dialogue touches on emotions and decision-making, highlighting the complexity of the human mind and the interplay between rationality and mysticism. Additionally, the topic shifts to pets, particularly dogs, and their patterns, illustrating the broader theme of how patterns permeate various aspects of life.
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http://www.boredlion.com/50-random-objects-you-had-no-idea-existed/2/?v=p&utm_source=outbrain&utm_content=Skull_arrow.jpg&utm_campaign=50%20Rare%20Images%http://www.boredlion.com/50-random-objects-you-had-no-idea-existed/2/?v=p&utm_source=outbrain&utm_content=Skull_arrow.jpg&utm_campaign=50%20Rare%20Images%http://www.boredlion.com/50-random-objects-you-had-no-idea-existed/2/?v=p&utm_source=outbrain&utm_content=Skull_arrow.jpg&utm_campaign=50%20Rare%20Images%

I found this picture of a common cabbage fascinating, what common shapes interest you ?
 
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Physics news on Phys.org
It's fascinating. There are patterns everywhere. Sometimes I wonder why our brains are so attracted to them. Is there really some mystical power behind them (not necessarily in religious sense) or is it only blind evolution that taught us seeing patterns is useful?
 
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Sophia said:
It's fascinating. There are patterns everywhere. Sometimes I wonder why our brains are so attracted to them. Is there really some mystical power behind them (not necessarily in religious sense) or is it only blind evolution that taught us seeing patterns is useful?

I find patterns in lots of things, i think that is why i do so well at the iq tests that require one to fit the missing piece into the pattern, i am useless at math.
 
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wolram said:
...
I found this picture of a common cabbage fascinating, what common shapes interest you ?
Self-organizing systems always exhibit such a beauty as part of a proven record for their adaptability.
 
wolram said:
I find patterns in lots of things, i think that is why i do so well at the iq tests that require one to fit the missing piece into the pattern, i am useless at math.
You need more advice and guidance, those people may never tell you, at least at the moment :biggrin:.
 
wolram said:
I find patterns in lots of things, i think that is why i do so well at the iq tests that require one to fit the missing piece into the pattern, i am useless at math.

You might be good at fortune telling from coffee, tea leaves or scattered bones :)
 
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Beautiful, Wolly! I love the patterns in nature. Roses, camellias, heck...absolutely ALL flower patterns! Every last one of them. And leaf and fern patterns... :approve: Have you ever seen a spotted skunk? Google THAT and check out the many patterns of the spotted skunk! But my favorite is the clouded leopard. https://www.google.com/search?q=clo...hUJwmMKHdMwAhQQ_AUIBigB#imgrc=CbrPqBe67Qk9oM:

(Hope that link works :oldbiggrin:)

If you hit the 'prev' button on your link, you'll see the picture that just totally KILLED Space Mountain for me. :oldcry:
 
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Tsu said:
Beautiful, Wolly! I love the patterns in nature. Roses, camellias, heck...absolutely ALL flower patterns! Every last one of them. And leaf and fern patterns... :approve: Have you ever seen a spotted skunk? Google THAT and check out the many patterns of the spotted skunk! But my favorite is the clouded leopard. https://www.google.com/search?q=clouded+leopard&espv=2&biw=1366&bih=599&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwimv62Qj_XKAhUJwmMKHdMwAhQQ_AUIBigB#imgrc=CbrPqBe67Qk9oM:

(Hope that link works :oldbiggrin:)

If you hit the 'prev' button on your link, you'll see the picture that just totally KILLED Space Mountain for me. :oldcry:

I have to agree with you, the clouded leopard is a fantastic looking animal and does it not blend into the forest well.
 
What beautiful patterns algae have.

Smaller than a speck of dust, Emiliania huxleyi plays an outsized role in the world's seas. Ranging from the polar oceans to the tropics, these free-floating photosynthetic algae remove carbon dioxide from the air, help supply the oxygen that we breathe, and form the base of marine food chains. When they proliferate, their massive turquoise blooms are visible from space.

Read more at: http://phys.org/news/2013-06-genetic-ocean-algae-bacteria-like-flexibility.html#jCp
 
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There are also some beautiful tarantulas such as this one. Putting her in a spoiler so that someone with arachnophobia doesn't get scared.
1cd0e9ca122147038bc1e445035d322e.jpg
 
  • #11
Wow! That's a beautiful tarantula! Where are those found?
 
  • #12
Never mind. I Wiki'd it. :oldwink:
 
  • #13
Sophia, is that your pet? I read that they're a mainstay in the pet trade despite their potent venom.
 
  • #14
Sophia said:
It's fascinating. There are patterns everywhere. Sometimes I wonder why our brains are so attracted to them. Is there really some mystical power behind them (not necessarily in religious sense) or is it only blind evolution that taught us seeing patterns is useful?
It's well known that the human brain evolved to recognize patterns, even to the extent of seeing them when there really aren't any, thus our fascination with them. The reason is very simple. If you recognize a somewhat camouflaged predator it may save your life. If you THINK you see a camouflaged predator in a foliage pattern, you may be embarrassed but you won't be dead so our brains see them very readily.
 
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  • #15
Tsu said:
Sophia, is that your pet? I read that they're a mainstay in the pet trade despite their potent venom.
This one is not mine. They are kept as pets but they are suitable for advanced keepers because they can be a bit aggressive.
But I'd like to get a tarantula one day because I find them fascinating. I will chose some of the more docile species though.
 
  • #16
Phinds...is your avatar a Great Pyrenees? Is it yours? I LOVE THEM! *WANT* :biggrin:
 
  • #17
Tsu said:
Phinds...is your avatar a Great Pyrenees? Is it yours? I LOVE THEM! *WANT* :biggrin:
Yep. It was my wife's for 11 years. Died 2 years ago. TERRIFIC dog if you can put up with the slobber.
 
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  • #18
phinds said:
It's well known that the human brain evolved to recognize patterns, even to the extent of seeing them when there really aren't any, thus our fascination with them. The reason is very simple. If you recognize a somewhat camouflaged predator it may save your life. If you THINK you see a camouflaged predator in a foliage pattern, you may be embarrassed but you won't be dead so our brains see them very readily.

That's a good explanation. I guess it also helped us recognize safe and poisonous plants and mushrooms.
And on more advanced level, we could see patterns in cause and effect of our actions and natural phenomena.
 
  • #19
Sophia said:
It's fascinating. There are patterns everywhere. Sometimes I wonder why our brains are so attracted to them. Is there really some mystical power behind them (not necessarily in religious sense) or is it only blind evolution that taught us seeing patterns is useful?
I've always thought evolution left our minds with "weak" areas which bypass rationality. I think that's a good friendly definition of mysticism.

Being subject to such weaknesses, I've never seen evolution as blind.

I wonder if such weak areas are required for something as complex as the human mind? Or is a perfectly rational mind possible?

Wood burl.
 
  • #20
phinds said:
Yep. It was my wife's for 11 years. Died 2 years ago. TERRIFIC dog if you can put up with the slobber.
They ARE awesome! A friend of mine had several to guard her sheep. Her indoor/outdoor dog didn't slobber. She said some do, and some don't. I'll take a DON'T because I want mine indoor and outdoor too. I'd like to get a rescue dog. I have to wait a bit though. Not sure what my cats will think of it. :biggrin:
 
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  • #21
Sophia said:
There are also some beautiful tarantulas such as this one. Putting her in a spoiler so that someone with arachnophobia doesn't get scared.
1cd0e9ca122147038bc1e445035d322e.jpg
Aaaaaaand I had to click it like an idiot. :headbang:
wolram said:
I found this picture of a common cabbage fascinating, what common shapes interest you ?
So that is how brick roads are made. I have a thing for bricks.

Naturally occurring crystals call my attention when they make those macroscopically visible shapes. Like the bismuth shown there.
 
  • #22
http://www.feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/img/FLP_II/f06-17/f06-17_mg.jpg
Those circles are atoms. From Cal Tech, 1964.

? Why is there a failed image with a red X? It works fine in preview and when I edit the post.
 
  • #23
Tsu said:
They ARE awesome! A friend of mine had several to guard her sheep. Her indoor/outdoor dog didn't slobber. She said some do, and some don't. I'll take a DON'T because I want mine indoor and outdoor too. I'd like to get a rescue dog. I have to wait a bit though. Not sure what my cats will think of it. :biggrin:

Sheesh we are talking about dogs already. what do they have to do with patterns:biggrin: may be a hedge clipped poodle may conform.:rolleyes:
 
  • #24
Jeff Rosenbury said:
I've always thought evolution left our minds with "weak" areas which bypass rationality. I think that's a good friendly definition of mysticism.

Being subject to such weaknesses, I've never seen evolution as blind.

I wonder if such weak areas are required for something as complex as the human mind? Or is a perfectly rational mind possible?

Wood burl.

I don't think that mysticism is a sign of weakness. In my opinion, it is one of the things that makes us human. Like emotions, those are not always rational, either. But without them, we would be like robots. Something would be missing.
I cannot give a proper reference but I've heard of an experiment with a man who has lost ability to feel emotions after an accident or disease, I'm not sure now. They found out that without emotions, he wasn't able to make decisions in daily life. This included things such as planning his daily activities, deciding where to eat etc. If there were no obvious rational reasons to go somewhere or avoid a place, he couldn't decide between two restaurants because he wasn't able to tell which one he likes more. This made his life more complicated than before.
And, while I am unfortunately not a scientist myself, I think that feeling awe in nature, which in my understanding, is a mystic experience, is one of the important factors that contributes to science.
Maybe many people would not become astronomers if they didn't feel a mystic experience when observing stars as kids. The same may be true about observing nature on earth, being fascinated by chemical reactions or observing flying birds.
Sure, many people chose science because of purely rational reasons or for money or because they want to become famous. But surely for many of them some kind of mystic experience was what motivated them first.
I like to consider myself a mystic and I am not ashamed of that. On the other hand, one has to use common sense at all times to prevent being irrational.
 
  • #25
Sophia said:
I cannot give a proper reference but I've heard of an experiment with a man who has lost ability to feel emotions after an accident or disease, I'm not sure now. They found out that without emotions, he wasn't able to make decisions in daily life. This included things such as planning his daily activities, deciding where to eat etc. If there were no obvious rational reasons to go somewhere or avoid a place, he couldn't decide between two restaurants because he wasn't able to tell which one he likes more. This made his life more complicated than before.

I remember that. Our desires define us. Everything else is just tools.
 
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a cocoo wasp
uk4rkhixr93cfcepuoha.jpg
 
  • #31
Tsu said:
They ARE awesome! A friend of mine had several to guard her sheep. Her indoor/outdoor dog didn't slobber. She said some do, and some don't. I'll take a DON'T because I want mine indoor and outdoor too. I'd like to get a rescue dog. I have to wait a bit though. Not sure what my cats will think of it. :biggrin:
Ours got on with the cats quite well and would have been perfectly happy to play with them if they hadn't been scared to death of him. They got to where they trusted him not to eat them but never got to the point of direct friendliness.
 
  • #32
phinds said:
Ours got on with the cats quite well and would have been perfectly happy to play with them if they hadn't been scared to death of him. They got to where they trusted him not to eat them but never got to the point of direct friendliness.
Some things are just ... http://dailycaller.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/rabbit-mouse-kitten-puppy-e1366115083656.jpg . Why are unnatural patterns so attractive?
 
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  • #33
phinds said:
Ours got on with the cats quite well and would have been perfectly happy to play with them if they hadn't been scared to death of him. They got to where they trusted him not to eat them but never got to the point of direct friendliness.

Pyrs get along with EVERYthing. :biggrin:
 
  • #34
When I get one I will also get two orange tabby kittens. They can grow up together. :oldwink:
 
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  • #36
lisab said:
My fear of spiders is completely rational (in my mind), but I won't click.

I won't.
Go ahead. You know you want to. :oldbiggrin:
 
  • #37
I have an irrational fear of insects. But spiders eat insects. They have eight legs, so they are not insects.

I keep telling myself that, over and over.
 
  • #38
Jeff Rosenbury said:
I have an irrational fear of insects. But spiders eat insects. They have eight legs, so they are not insects.
Well, according to Dave Barry, they ARE insects. He explains it like this: "Insect" derives from the Lain "in" meaning small and "sect" meaning "disgusting creature", which means that spiders are insects and so are little yippy dogs and Truman Capote.
 
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  • #39
platycryptus-undatus-1-559x580.jpg
Here you are look at the eyes.
 
  • #40
wolram said:
Here you are look at the eyes.
ooow he looks like someone's grandpa! :kiss:
 

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