2/3. Life Encouraged by Living Algorithm's Visual Methodology.
Although impressed, Life needs time to reflect.
Living Algorithm methodology based upon graphic visualization.
Living Algorithm: “As you can see my approach is quite different from what you expected. Although it may be a non-traditional approach, I hope you can see that contemporary science has begun to embrace similar methodological approaches. What do you think about my methodology?”
Life: “Now I can see that your approach to digesting data streams truly is mathematical. The computer-generated graphs you use to represent your digestion process embrace a visual approach. I was impressed with your reference to Mandelbrot. His fractals represent a notable example of the validity of this visual technique. Your approach appears to have several advantages that interest me. The pictorial nature of the insights is accessible to a wide audience. Accessing data through graphic visualization taps into our uncanny ability to recognize patterns via subconscious processes. In fact, it appears that a visual approach may be the best approach to investigate the complexity of my living data streams.”
Life has an immediate visual experience with Living Algorithm's Creative Pulse
“The validity of your method intrigues me. The intuitive response that I had to my initial exposure to the Creative Pulse graph was stunning. I find your name for this graph to be apropos. It seemed to capture my conception of an ideal creative experience. I imagined a creative session, which rose to a peak of inspiration – followed by a sustained pulse that would allow me to integrate the inspirational insight. The immediacy of my response seems to confirm your suggestion that my subconscious pattern-recognizing abilities are at work.”
Life wants to know more details regarding the Creative Pulse Project
“It does seem that there is a solid mathematical foundation for your graphic approach. Your visual methodology has validity and your Creative Pulse definitely resonates with my intuitions. Now my curiosity is definitely aroused. I want to become familiar with your computer experiments in greater detail. Once I have a working understanding of the project, I will be prepared to draw my own conclusions.”
Alga: “I’m pleased that your initial response is a favorable one. Are you ready to see me in action?”
Life needs time to digest her encounter with the Living Algorithm
Life: "Not so fast. Everything you say is quite plausible. In fact, I'm encouraged by your claims. But I don't want to get carried away in the excitement of the moment. I need to sleep on these insights before proceeding further in our relationship."
Living Algorithm: "Excellent decision. It takes time to digest and integrate the subtleties of my system's unique perspective. Give me a call when you are ready and I’ll introduce you to one of my favorite manifestations – the Pulse of Attention, a.k.a. the Creative Pulse.”
Life tentatively: “Uh. Sounds great.” But she was fading fast. She needed some time to digest all this new material."
Life decides to give the Living Algorithm another chance.
Life has hard time letting go of her yearning for a multi-variable equation of her own.
After a deep sleep, Life woke refreshed and ready to consciously assimilate her insights. Although far from convinced of the scientific validity of the Living Algorithm System, Life felt reassured that the method at least had potential. However, she was a mite disappointed that this new mathematical approach wasn’t going to provide her with those multiple variable equations that are the hallmark of the hard sciences. In fact, she was having a hard time letting go of her attachment to that expectation. Life decided to meditate in order to understand the roots of these disturbing emotions.
Life meditates: First, the broken record of thoughts
Initially, the broken record of emotionally charged thoughts continued its annoying cycle. “How can the Living Algorithm, as a single equation with no significant variables, possibly hope to capture my complexity? Traditional Physics, a.k.a. Mechanics, revealed Matter’s code by analyzing the relationships between these variables. The explanatory power of this mathematical approach is so inspiring. Why can’t I have some variables of my own? Am I doomed to mathematical isolation? Am I just too complex for any mathematical approach? I had so hoped for some mathematical variables to provide me with guidance – perhaps unlock some secrets to my code. How can the Living Algorithm hope to capture my complexity? …” And so on and so forth, this cycle of aggravating thoughts continued.
Inner counsel: "Detach from the old blocked matrix of thought to allow a new one to emerge."
Immersed in the quietude of meditation, Life attempted to neutralize the momentum of this destructive thought chain. “Just watch these thoughts go by. They are like clouds in the sky. Don’t give them any energy. Let them float … away. The fires of these illusory desires will go out if there is no more mental fuel. Just let go. Allow the secrets of the Universe to emerge from quietude. Detach from the mental matrix that is trapping us with its limited code. Allow subconscious processes to provide us with a more appropriate code from a brand new matrix of understanding.”
Insight: "Maybe Matter has one type of mathematics, & I have another."
Finally, the meditation kicked in. “Perhaps it is just as well that the Living Algorithm’s approach is different. After all, the continuous equations of Mechanics are so automatic – so confining – so appropriate to the dead material systems that they so accurately describe. Maybe, just maybe, the living matter that I embody requires a different mathematical approach. Perhaps Matter has one type of mathematics to describe his inanimate nature, while I require a unique, yet complementary, approach to deal with my animate nature.”
Consolidation: "Living Algorithm’s visual approach recognizes primacy of sight in pattern recognition."
“The Living Algorithm’s visual approach is certainly intriguing. Sight is undeniably an important sense in the complex animate systems that I embody. An enormous amount of our brainpower is devoted to converting complicated visual environmental input into a coherent picture of the external world. (I say ‘our’ because you, dear Reader, are one of my living systems.) The mind’s visual processes provide a foundation for recognizing patterns in ongoing data streams.
Integration: "Computer visualization is mainstream science."
“Evidently computer visualization via graphs is a mainstream scientific approach for analyzing and understanding data. An actual graph or picture of the data gives us a visual means of understanding the patterns behind an otherwise incomprehensible string of numbers. Frequently, a picture allows order to emerge from the seeming chaos of a collection of data. The logical analysis of consciousness is helpless before the onslaught of the data that computers generate.
Maybe there is something to the Living Algorithm's visual approach.
“Hmmm! Maybe the Living Algorithm’s visual approach has something to it. Who cares about those variables of Mechanics anyway? That rigid mathematical perspective is far too confining for someone who is as creative as I am.”
Directive: Life arranges another meeting with the Living Algorithm
Refreshed from her meditation, Life knew what she had to do. She immediately texted the Living Algorithm to arrange another meeting. The text reply was as follows: “Happy to hear that your interest is growing. I think it’s time to get together to talk about the connections between the Pulse of Attention – my primary transformation and human behavior.”
Read on to see how their second encounter went.
Life: “I can’t wait! The Pulse of Attention definitely intrigues me. I’m more than ready to examine the details of the Living Algorithm’s visual methodology. Although first encounters are certainly not definitive, they are, however, indicative of the potential for a growing relationship. There is hope.”
To see the Living Algorithm in action check out the Left Brain’s next article – The Pulse of Attention Interrupted. To remain in the Right Brain’s metaphorical universe, read on.
3-4. Life & Living Algorithm agree on Interruption Phenomenon.
Life impressed, but Friends question necessity of a Mathematical Relationship
Life: "Finally a mathematics that addresses topics that are dear to me."
“Whoa!” Life felt encouraged. ”I find this investigation to be intriguing. I love the key words – the momentum of attention, inspiration, creativity, and a productive session. What's not to love? I don’t know where we are going from here; but, at least, the Living Algorithm System attempts to address topics that are dear to me. And more importantly there is some evidence that supports the conclusions. Finally, a mathematics that attempts to speak my language.
“The connections aren't strong, but at least something. Certainly not those multi-variable equations that I had been longing for,” Life sighed. “But those equations are so confining – so restrictive – no real freedom for personal expression. I sincerely appreciate the Living Algorithm’s mathematical attention to my long neglected subtle and dynamic nature. It is like a refreshing drink from a pure mountain stream, rich in rare trace minerals that invigorate the system.”
Life takes a walk with an Artistic Friend
In a great mood, Life arranged to take a walk on the beach with one of her artistic friends. After Life expressed her excitement and enthusiasm for her new mathematical relationship, her well-meaning friend posed a different type of question.
Friend: "Life you don’t need mathematics. You are already complete."
Friend: ”Life, you are really special. Why do you need mathematics at all? You are complete and perfect without it."
Life: "I might not need a mathematics; but I want one."
Life: "You’re right. It’s not a matter of need. It is a matter of discovering powerful languages that help me understand my potentials. Mathematics is one such language. And I plan on investigating it.”
Friend: "How can Living Algorithm define nature of Inspiration?
Friend: “But mathematics possesses a rigidity that seems hard to reconcile with the notion of creativity. When I am in the midst of painting, my inspiration seems to arise spontaneously from subconscious, perhaps even divine, sources. Plus some of my most creative ideas come when I'm in the shower, waking up from a nap, or taking a walk. Personal experience tells me that creativity is unpredictable. It can pop up anywhere. How could the mathematics of your Living Algorithm possibly define the nature of this sort of inspiration?"
Life: "Author focuses upon the circumstances that maximize potential for inspiration."
Life: “I don’t think the Author of the article was addressing that ‘Aha!’ moment of inspiration, so much as the circumstances that maximize the productivity of a creative session. We often think of creativity as that ‘Aha’ moment of inspiration. And certainly key moments of inspiration are a big part of the creative experience. But the Author’s interest in creativity was focused upon the actual process of working on a creative project. His interest therefore centered on the context that best generates a productive creative session.”
Friend: "Shape of Creative Pulse doesn't match my experience with inspiration."
Friend: "Well, I wasn’t particularly impressed with the image of a pulse either. The Author’s visualization of a creative session, the Creative Pulse, certainly doesn’t match my experience with inspiration. I am not always most inspired after the first third of my painting session – as the curve in the graph suggests. In fact, sometimes I am most inspired near the end of a session."
Life: “Creative Pulse is a misnomer: chosen to honor original investigation.”
Life: "I think the Author would agree with you that the peak in his graph of the Creative Pulse does not represent the peak of an inspirational experience. As his mathematical investigation evolved, the Author came to realize that his initial choice of the name, Creative Pulse, was a misnomer. The Author was originally motivated by his interest in the negative effect of interruptions on his personal creative work sessions. Since this focus led to the discovery of his mathematical model, he initially chose the name, Creative Pulse, to honor his seminal research.
Life: "Creative Pulse represents the Momentum of Attention, not creativity."
“The Author began to understand that, rather than the pulse of creativity or inspiration, his mathematical model actually was addressing the momentum of sustained attention. By focusing upon the process of a productive work session, he was broadening his field of investigation far beyond his original interest in creativity. He hypothesized that a period of concentrated attention provides the context for a wide range of quality experiences. As such, the Author renamed the Creative Pulse, the Pulse of the Momentum of Attention, or simply the Pulse of Attention.”
Friend: "Can Human Behavior & Math really have a Relationship?"
Friend: “I just raise these questions out of friendship. I don’t want you to get hurt again. It’s traumatic for us, as well as you. Remember how depressed you were after your prior efforts to have a relationship with a mathematical system. The imprecision of Astrology ultimately frustrated you, as did the excessive rigor of the mathematics of the physical sciences. Think about it. Can you, as human behavior, really have a relationship with a mathematical system? You’re too spontaneous, alive. Mathematics is too rigid, unbending. It seems that this type of mixture might be doomed – like oil and water. Do what you want. I’m just offering some friendly advice.”
Life: "I'm looking for a mathematical approach with a new inflection."
Life: “If the only mathematics available was the traditional approach, you characterize as excessively rigid, then I might agree with you. But if the singularly powerful language of mathematics can be adapted to issues that are unique to me, a living system, then I am more than a little interested. In fact, it is this new inflection of the Living Algorithm’s mathematics that intrigues me. Mathematics needs to open up and let me in. When it does, I will have found a key piece of the puzzle.”
The Living Algorithm reassures Life.
Life questions the possibility of a mixed relationship.
This exchange set Life off on another cycle of doubt. “Is the social pressure too daunting for us to get together? Both sides say that the Living Algorithm’s mathematical system is unnecessary. Physics and Probability say that they provide the only suitable mathematical guidance, and my artistic friends claim that mathematics is helpless before my splendor. If Alga and I are really going to relate to each other, will we have the potential for becoming quite intimate? Or was the success of our first meeting just a fluke happenstance? In other words, is the relationship between my human behavior and Alga’s mathematical system merely coincidental in nature?"
Living Algorithm: "Let's take our relationship slowly."
Initially excited, now confused, Life allowed these questions to percolate. After creating a million scenarios from the sparse evidence, Life decided to investigate. She gave the Living Algorithm a call and posed the questions of compatibility to her.
Alga: "It seems that you're over-thinking our relationship. Sophisticated friendships take time to mature. So far everything has been going very well between us. The concern of your well-meaning friends has led us to a better understanding of what we have in common. You will be surprised by how many of your experiences are connected to the Pulse of Attention.”
Life: "But I’ve been hurt before. In both cases, my initial excitement led to unrealistic expectations, which is always accompanied by emotional upset. I don't want to get hurt again."
Alga: "Open yourself up to the pleasure and pain. That's what it is to be alive. Your material side feels no pain, because it is dead."
Life: "Thanks. I needed to hear that."
Alga: "That's what friends are for."
Life: "I don’t want to be disappointed."
Life: "I so want this relationship to work. But I don't want to get carried away. I have been disappointed before.”
Alga: “To avoid getting carried away with the momentum of desires, let’s take a break. That will give you time to integrate my fresh perspective. Let’s take our relationship slowly. There is certainly no rush. We have lots of time. My only function is to provide you with some guidance on your quest for self-actualization – reveal some keys to the code of your living matrix.”
Life reawakens to the Pulse of Attention.
Subconscious requires time to reorganize Life’s Mind
Although Life was looking forward to her next encounter with the Living Algorithm, she always had more than enough to do. Her many pursuits included making history, pursuing her love affair with the Muse, immersing herself in Nature, and just being. While she waited to hear from the Living Algorithm, her subconscious began to further digest this fresh interpretation of the world. The traditional perspective represented an ocean liner that had the momentum of centuries behind it. It would naturally take some time to alter such a pronounced course. Life’s subconscious began busily reorganizing her mental compartments to assimilate and integrate the Living Algorithm’s unusual constructs.
A chance encounter with an old friend redirects Life’s Attention
Finally, circumstances conspired to draw Life’s attention back to the Living Algorithm. Or maybe it was just time. A chance meeting (divine coincidence?) with an old friend provided the catalyst.
Life gazes upon the Pulse of Attention with fresh eyes.
During their brief interaction, the acquaintance casually asked, “How’s your search for a mathematical relationship going?” Although her initial response was noncommittal, Life began to recall her mystic search – to find a mathematical guide that would assist her in the quest for self-actualization. After her friend moved on, Life, stood stock-still. At that instant, she had an internal vision of the unadorned Pulse of Attention. Entranced, Life gazed upon this beautiful form with fresh eyes – almost as if it were for the first time. “What did the Living Algorithm say? Oh right. The Pulse of Attention, her favorite and most fundamental transformation, would reveal some secrets to the code of my living matrix. I had forgotten about that. I wonder what those secrets are.”
Life: “The Pulse of Attention seems to have widespread applicability.”
"Let’s see. I remember that the Pulse of Attention was originally entitled the Creative Pulse. The Author changed the name because the intriguing shape instead seems to represent the Momentum of Attention. Whoa! I am beginning to realize that this notion has wide spread applicability in my world of living matter. It appears especially relevant to my humans with their fads, fashions, and celebrities. After catching the public gaze, the momentum of popularity rises and then fades out. The more I think about it, this sense of a momentum that rises and falls could also apply to conversations, movies, musical concerts, and sporting events. Essentially, this momentum of attention seems to provide the context for a quality experience. Could it even provide the ground for productivity? Creativity? Inspiration? The Pulse of Attention just feels right."
Life: “Interruptions devastating to the Momentum of Attention.”
"Something else that feels right is the notion that interruptions can be devastating to the ideal potentials of the Pulse of Attention. I can still envision the graph that represented interruptions to the momentum of a session. It looked like Mount St. Helens, the volcano who blew her top off. When compared with the ideal uninterrupted session, the visual evidence of the effect of the interruption is compelling. The Author’s personal experience confirmed the disproportionate effect of interruptions on his creative sessions. He called this the Interruption Phenomenon. The Pulse of Attention, his mathematical model, is capable of mimicking this mechanism. In my experience the negative effects of interruptions are very often quite evident. On the grand scale, wars, plagues, and pestilence continually set back my creative progress. If the disturbance is great enough, the setback can last for millennia."
Life: “Need more validation. Don’t want to be tricked by feelings.”
"While I appreciate all the intuitive insights that the Pulse of Attention provides, I crave more substantiation for the theory. My feelings and what seems right are not enough. Often they are incorrect – sometimes to my embarrassment. I need more scientific validation. I recall Dr. Medina referencing studies that suggest the empirical validity of the Interruption Phenomenon. The fact that there is some scientific support for this notion is encouraging, but we need to investigate further. A little skepticism can protect me from my own enthusiasm."
Life was ready at last for another encounter with the Living Algorithm. This last insight grounded her in a more balanced approach to the relationship. With her enthusiasm tempered by a healthy skepticism, she arranged a meeting at the local coffee shop with this unusual mathematical perspective.
Life needs more Evidence.
Waiting expectantly, Life felt a little nervous, as she hadn’t seen the Living Algorithm for many moons. Yet at first glance, the unlikely duo immediately felt the warmth of old friends – as if they had known each other forever – instead of just a short time.
Life: "Before getting carried away, I need more verification of this link between us."
Life: “Initially, I thought our meeting would revolve around creative inspiration. Now I find the connection to creativity is linked to this new notion of the Pulse of Attention. Our first date didn’t turn out like I expected, but now I am intrigued with this new idea. The focus of our relationship appears to be shifting towards a broad range of living experiences. What I now need is evidence that provides further support for a strong correspondence between us.
“This correspondence between your primary transformation, the Pulse of Attention, and the effects of interruptions on a productive session is suggestive. But I need more verification that we are compatible in other ways, before proceeding further in our relationship."
Alga: "Triple Pulse Experiments provide more links between my System and yours."
Alga: "Healthy skepticism is a good thing. You have overcome the distracting misnomer of the Creative Pulse. Further, you have understood that the momentum of Attention produces a pulse that is widely influential in living experience. Ultimately, we are going to explore many correspondences between our systems. In our next encounter, if you are willing, we will consider another set of computer experiments with links to your empirical reality. These experiments surround the Triple Pulse, another of my favorite and primary transformations. The Triple Pulse is a mathematical model that develops organically from the Pulse of Attention. The Triple Pulse Experiment links my transformations with your behavior regarding sleep. To provide essential context, the next article in the sequence, Triple Pulse Method, examines the methodology behind these computer experiments. If you are patient, more secrets will be revealed regarding the code to your living matrix. This information should assist you in your quest for self-actualization.”
Life began looking forward excitedly to their next encounter. Her mental curiosity just increased the intensity of her anticipation.
“The Living Algorithm suggests that the direction of this further investigation will lead us to shift our focus from the Pulse of Attention to another of her transformations – the Triple Pulse. I wonder what this will bring."
For details of this interaction, check out Triple Pulse Method. However, this article only exists in the alternate universe of discursive thought, as the new material is presented in an expository fashion. This Left Brain perspective will refresh your Mind with some analysis based in the graphic visualization of the Living Algorithm’s digestive process. If you would rather skip all the pretty pictures and remain in Right Brain narrative mode, read Life fascinated by Interaction between Pulses.