How the fifteen properties appear in nature from the unfolding of wholeness
Think about the wholeness dynamically. Everything is changing constantly. Every process which occurs on earth continuously changes, transforms, modifies the wholeness which exists. So the wholeness is continuously evolving. At any given moment, in any given region of space, there is a wholeness Wt. At the next moment, this gives way to another wholeness Wt+1. The transformation of Wt to Wt+1 is the way the world unfolds: Wt -> Wt+1. Everything is covered by it.
What happens when the unfolding is smooth? The transformation is structure-preserving. At any moment t, there is a certain wholeness, Wt. At the next moment t+1, this leads to a new wholeness, Wt+1, which is consistent with the previous wholeness Wt; indeed, the next step, Wt+1, is one of the relatively few steps (of all possible steps forward) which is very deeply consistent with the wholeness Wt.
Is structured editing a form of this? There are certain steps that do not end up in syntax errors and could be interpreted as structure-preserving, while there are many other steps that break consistency and end up in error states. The problem, however, is that there are many good states that can only be reached through a number of bad states in between.
What this means, in a nutshell, is that during the transition to Wt+1 the centers in Wt are not violated. They are preserved. Thus, in general, additional centers will be created that reinforce and strengthen the centers that already exist. In the cases where centers are taken out (death, pruning, simplification), they are removed, still, in such a way as to leave as many as possible of the larger centers intact. Under these circumstances, as layer upon layer of smooth unfolding takes place, what develops is a system centers which is stronger, crustier, and more imbricated, and in which the centers (at first hundreds, then thousands, or tens of thousands) all reinforce and intensify one another.
All this hinges on the fact that wholeness is entirely made of centers. Since it is made of centers, a transformation which preserves the structure of the wholeness must then preserve most of these centers.
From this it follows that the new centers which are created at each step will be related, through repeated new appearances of the fifteen properties, to the previously existing centers. I have asserted, in Book 1, chapter 5, that the fifteen properties are the fifteen ways in which centers can enliven one another. Hence, if under a structure-preserving transformation, new centers are being added that enliven or deepen the existing centers, this means that the fifteen properties must slowly come into being, step by step, with each new transformation. Otherwise, the new centers will not enliven or deepen the older ones.
1. Levels of scale
For example, within a given center A or directly near it, we shall find smaller centers, B, one level of scale smaller. That happens because any perturbation or irregularity which develops near A causes the start of a latent center B. As this latent center gets stronger, the strengthening will then cause a nucleation near the first center. The nucleation must be at a jump in scale, since if too similar in size it would not preserve the structure.
The process is quite general. If a large center is developing, and within it, somewhere, a small dot occurs (randomly), then to intensify this small center under structure-preserving transformations without disturbing the larger center, the small center must be kept substantially smaller than the first; yet if it is too small, it does nothing to enhance the larger one. If it has a scale at which it does not disturb and yet actively enhances the first center, the second one will be just one order of magnitude smaller than the big one. Repeated application of a process which enhances structure must create the property levels of scale.
2. Strong centers
In general, in any system where one center forms, as structure-preserving transformations occur, other smaller centers will then emerge, will be intensified and themselves strengthened in just such a way that by virtue of their position and arrangement they intensify the first center. This causes the field effect around the first center. Gradually, it will occur around every center.
3. Boundaries
At any moment in the evolution of a system, each center which exists has a latent boundary zone around it just by virtue of the nature of the center, separating it from adjacent centers and joining it to them. The boundary zone is the zone where the steepest gradient of differentiation falls off around the center. In one form or another it must occur, by definition, around any center. Under structure-preserving transformations, this latent boundary zone will intensify and encourage new centers to form within the boundary zone, as it strengthens the existing center, ultimately creating a big boundary which is strong in itself.
4. Alternating repetition
Inevitably, in every structure, events (and local structures) repeat. This is typical at all scales.
The effect is general. In any repetition there will, obviously, be latent centers (not yet fully existing centers) in some of the spaces between adjacent centers in the repetition. Assume, then, that a structure-preserving transformation occurs. The latent center between some pair of centers will develop and become a center in its own right. If the spaces between the repeating centers are themselves similar (as they will often be), this center-forming process will gradually occur in each one of the centers lying between the first system of centers — thus forming a second system of repeating centers tucked between the first system. After a number of transformations of this kind, there will be alternating repetition throughout the repetition.
5. Positive space
Consider a small zone of empty space somewhere in a system that is currently not inhabited with strong centers. By virtue of its geometry, at least some regions of this empty space will have a weak latent quality as centers. Like the empty space between two adjacent blobs, they will be center-like but undeveloped. Sooner or later, by moving material to make the shape of this “empty” space more coherent, structure-preserving transformations make these latent centers in the space more and more center-like. As they become centers they become more positive in shape. They will gather themselves together and differentiations will occur around the edge to intensify the shape and make it still more center-like.
Under structure-preserving transformations, such a process will occur quite generally in any system. Gradually, each bit of space that has any latency to be center-like gets formed more and more strongly as a center. As the empty space is filled, pushed, pulled, connected, each bit of it becomes a center, and slowly becomes more positive. The property positive space slowly makes its appearance throughout the space.
6. Good shape
Consider an emerging shape within a developing whole. The shape often exists, at some early stage, as a weakly formed “possible” shape, not yet very sharply defined. As structure-preserving transformations are applied, the latent centers which appear both within this shape and next to it, even if only dimly present, will be strengthened and made into a more definite center.
Under structure-preserving transformations of a form, one by one, the vaguely existing centers within the shape are replaced by definite centers; as a result the shape strengthens. Gradually, throughout the space, just that character emerges that I previously defined as good shape: each shape is redefined so that it is made throughout of well-formed centers.
7. Local symmetries
The centeredness of a given center is almost always strengthened by local symmetry — not always, but almost always.
More generally, during structure-preserving transformations, symmetrical and near-symmetrical evolution of centers maintains global structure, while “cleaning up” structural debris. Thus, at least some centers get reinforced and strengthened by local symmetries that intensify local centers. As structure is preserved, the density of local symmetries will typically increase: local symmetries, sometimes distorted to accommodate to other nearby structures, will appear more and more often throughout the space.
8. Deep interlock and ambiguity
Along an edge between two zones, random perturbations will form disturbances which start as latent centers. As these randomly occurring latent centers get intensified, the centers go in one direction or another, into either one zone or the other zone along the edge. In many cases, there are additional functional constraints which make it desirable for these “edge” centers to belong to the larger centers on both sides of the line.
Very generally, along an edge which separates major centers, as minor centers along the edge get strengthened, they often swell in dimension, and penetrate more deeply into the zones of the two larger centers on either side of the edge. As a result of this process, centers are established which interpenetrate the larger centers, causing deep interlock. In those cases where the new centers may belong, functionally, to either one side to the other, the formation of the new centers will often also cause spatial ambiguity.
9. Contrast
One result of a structure-preserving transformation is to give each center more distinctness, more differentiation from its surroundings. The differentiation can take many forms, but often requires opposition of contrasting polarities, either in density, or material, or charge, or color.
This effect can have surprising forcefulness. It is comparable to the process of leveling and sharpening that occurs when we make a black and white Xerox copy of a finely shaded photograph with gray tones. Differences get increased, so that the forms stand out more sharply.
To accomplish contrast, structure-preserving transformations increase the contrast of a pattern by intensifying both its internal differentiation and its differentiation from the surrounding environment.
10. Gradients
When a center appears, the ongoing structure-preserving transformations do what they can to intensify that center. As a consequence, the space around the center will gradually be re-organized to include gradients of various kinds, which orient themselves toward that center, strengthening it by means of a field effect.
More generally, whenever there is a center, for different but vaguely similar reasons, the geometry of space is likely to induce phenomena that fall off with something line an inverse-square law from the middle simply because of the geometry of space, thus creating gradients. In supporting and strengthening the center, these inverse-square related gradients will develop, thus forming gradient phenomena. As a result we may expect to find a variety of graded phenomena following formation of any center, where field strengths of the gradient point toward the centers, so reinforcing and strengthening the existence of the center. Slowly gradients will make their appearance throughout the space, around many of the centers.
11. Roughness
As a system comes to order, the structure-preserving pressure to form centers — especially larger centers — will often refine boundaries, edges, shapes, and connections in unusual and apparently inelegant ways that look like inaccuracies. However, these apparent inaccuracies are a direct result of careful and highly subtle adaptations, that come about inevitably as a result of the structure-preserving process.
Slowly, in any structure-preserving process, roughness always makes its appearance. Even among individual atoms, we see roughness. That is, we find imperfect similarity from one atom to the next within a crystal, even when the atoms are of the same type. Note, though, that roughness is only an apparent irregularity. Really, it is a necessary feature, the outward sign of deeper order as larger centers are perfected.
12. Echoes
In any system where there are structure-preserving transformations, it is nearly inevitable that the same process will be repeated, locally, through zones of the system. In addition, some processes will be repeated, but with minor modifications according to context.
In every structure-preserving process, we shall find a great many cases where similarities of process create similar systems of centers — hence structural similarities, or echoes of similar angles and shapes — which bear a family resemblance to one another in the different centers where they appear.
13. The void
Part of the process of structure-preserving requires cleaning out from time to time, just as an orchard must be pruned. When a situation appears where there are too many centers, too crowded together, in a confusion of structure, a structure-preserving process must be applied to the situation, since the conglomeration of centers becomes so confused that it begins to undermine the coherence of the centers. That means the process must act to discern the deep structure, the most important structure beneath the confusion. The important structure must then be preserved and the rest cut away.
As a result, structure-preserving transformations frequently act to create the void. As structure is preserved, the transformations act to preserve distinctness. One of the ways this happens most frequently, is that dense highly differentiated structure gets set off against empty, clean smooth structure, and distinctness is maintained.
We may also express this by saying that crowded complex structure often ends up living at the edge of a much larger homogeneous void, and that the contrast between the intricate structure and the vast emptiness is needed to maintain the structure of the intricacy.
14. Simplicity and inner calm
As the cleaning out of irrelevant structure continues, centers will be further intensified by simplification. Slowly, a state appears in which nothing unnecessary remains present and in which all irrelevant or confusing centers that irritate the structure or reduce the value or importance of other centers are removed. This simplification occurs in nature constantly.
Only the essential structure is allowed to remain, in a kind of simplification that is reminiscent of Occam’s razor.
The simplicity of the state comes about naturally as the result of the structure-preserving process.
15. Not-separateness
The more the structure-preserving works, the more it brings out the underlying unity which exists in any system. This unity is preserved, and intensified, by the structure-preserving action. Thus throughout, as the structure develops through its uncompleted forms, the pressure to unify, and unify continues, by creating links, by wrapping each center into a web of other centers, tying everything together.
Each part becomes wedded more firmly to the others. Exaggerated differences are eliminated.
In general, as the finishing touch to the structure-preserving process, small infill centers for fine-tuning are placed to create a pervasive sheet-like unity. Gradually, during this process, each part becomes inseparable from the others, allowing not-separateness to appear.
#book/The Nature of Order/2 The process of creating life/2 Structure-preserving transformations#