Hi Alan,

It seems to me that a pattern has no meaning and maybe no existence outside of a mind that notices it. If this is the case, then conservation of pattern is a feature of the mind and not of the objects comprising the pattern. It would mean that the mind would need to perceive the pattern as either persisting or gradually changing through imperceptible increments in order to say that the pattern was continuous.

I think that our perception of images on screens made up of discrete dots can supply the examples we need to think these ideas through. It seems that for continuity (which I think is only an illusion) it is only necessary that the image change faster or more subtly than the mind can detect.

I agree with what you said in your comment, Alan, but I think that the role of consciousness in the picture is absolutely essential or the rest of it is meaningless.

Warm regards,

Paul

• Thinking about dots and stuff.......................... - dolphin - May 2, 2002 - 06:59 UTC