Perception, reperception

Perception, reperception: If at first you don’t perceive, reperceive,  and reperceive again!

Hofstader demonstrates that if the pattern is not clear or elegant, the packets just nonsense, the intelligent human will try again until a pattern emerges. This process of looking at a sequence or situation and being able to evaluate it through the application of many different types of knowledge appears to be a key part of intelligence. Instead of knowledge, knowledge, knowledge, the agent must have some sense of different types of knowledge and meta-rules involving their application. It’s not just taking random guesses (though that can be used), but being able to make good guesses or recognize salience.

In pattern recognition it seems aesthetics play a significant role – the pattern-finder must have a way to evaluate the pattern as correct. There is a “drive towards beauty” (p43) that guides pattern re-creation and recognition. With music, pattern recognition comes easily. We can sense when a pattern is being deviated from; it produces tension until the moment of resolution.  And what of the world outside of math and music? We feel curiosity when someone’s behavior deviates from our knowledge of them, or cognitive dissonance when the perceived pattern of our actions is not confirmed.  Often we will have a “drive towards  beauty” or simplicity and elegance in the understanding of another human being. It is easy to simplify their character. Often without reperception, our expectations will shade our actions considerably.  We won’t notice when the pattern turns out to be more complex than first-glance. To have an accurate understanding of ourselves and others, this same process of perception, reperception is essential.  It is a process that is important in all pattern finding – without we are stuck with only our immediate glance (which often yields distracters like faces in the forest and insults where none exist). The reperception can be applied with some knowledge from the first perception, but ultimately enable alternate patterns to emerge.