Chris Lofting’s work comprises a most remarkable study into the structure
of prediction, and is based on his discovery—as in Pitkanen’s case, also
in
connection with the 64 bit binary tree—of a common semantic root for all
categorisation systems, scientific as well as esoteric, that in some way
attempt to ‘predict’ situations and behaviours.
Whenever we make "maps" of reality, Lofting states:
"We often fail to recognize that the maps are metaphors for how ‘in here’
interprets ‘out there’. This is the case not only for the esoteric maps
(e.g. The I Ching, Astrology) but also for the scientific maps (e.g.
Mathematics, Physics). I have discovered that underneath all of these maps
is a template which allows one to easily make analogies; it is a template
of meaning that appears to be shared by all of these categorisation
systems. Simply put, all maps of reality are metaphors for the way
the
brain categorises wholes and their aspects, and the template emerges from
this process.
"The template is the underlying structure of dichotomously-derived
metaphor. This feature is of huge survival value but at the same
time can
lead to one confusing map with territory and thus metaphors being taken
too
literally; which has been the case in the esoteric disciplines (I Ching,
Astrology, Tarot, etc.). These disciplines have their dichotomous
roots
attached to times where [LH] Science was poor and the [RH] metaphors rich.
What this site demonstrates is that even [LH] Science is metaphor and has
the same constructs as the [RH] esoteric disciplines"
(http://www.ozemail.com.au/~ddiamond).
Since Lofting himself employs the terms, or acronyms, "LH" and "RH" for
the
cerebral hemispheres, in what follows my own interpolations will appear
in
square brackets.
Originally Lofting’s analysis started in the realm of Psychology and
Cognitive Science (his background is in computers) and was based on the
question as to how the so-called ‘esoteric’ disciplines still maintained
a
degree of ‘value’ in a culture that is strongly science-biased.
"This journey of discovery has taken me to many places and many
disciplines, with the result of this analysis being the discovery of a
template for metaphors, which, due to its cross-cultural nature, suggests
it has neurological roots. This discovery implied that the traditional
I
Ching material covers but a fraction of what is there, where the
supplementary information only emerges when we interpret the I Ching as
a
metaphor for the brain’s way of dealing with wholes and their aspects."
## <.> ##
The only form of dichotomy that deals with whole/aspects relationships
is
the one:many type which is different to the one:one type which is the type
usually considered in dichotomous analysis. The process of refinement
introduces the concept of hierarchy and thus ‘the many’. Dichotomies
of
opposition are used more in analysis, and where the two elements are often
destructive when combined (Exclusive OR). Dichotomies of complementarity
are used more in syntheses, where the two elements are seen as parts of
a
whole with the whole emerging when the parts join (Inclusive OR) -- with
the final whole being the universe of discourse. This generic dichotomy,
apparently common to non-human brains, has been refined in humans to a
degree where neurologically we deal with wholes, parts, static aspects,
and
dynamic aspects within contexts that are biased to [RH]
contraction/parallel or [LH] expansion/serial.
Psychologically, we create metaphors to deal with specific classes of
‘wholeness’. The ability to form analogies across disciplines comes from
the template which serves as the base for all metaphoric descriptions of
wholes and their aspects. The template emerges from our tendency to use
dichotomy to make maps of reality—maps of the earth or maps of the mind,
the method is consistently used. The reason for this is that all maps that
are intended for use by more than one individual require a degree of
consensus in their creation, and as a result we form dichotomies of
extremes (left/right, land/sea, fire/water etc) that enable us to
incorporate the slightly different methods of interpretations of
individuals such that they get the same ‘meaning’ out of the one map e.g.
X
is West/Left/Above of Y.
## <.> ##
If the process of dichotomous analysis (an ultimate form of which might
be
"me/universe") is a natural tool of the brain, if it has neurological
roots, then any ‘map’ of reality will in fact resonate with one’s mind
irrespective of ‘truth’; no matter what pattern emerges we will find some
‘value’, some how. The question therefore arises as to the ‘value’
of
using the I Ching as a tool of prediction, for example, rather than simply
as a guide to the different forms possible when using dichotomous analysis.
The answer to this, Lofting believes, is that, "since the I Ching
can be
considered as a map of dichotomous analysis, and since this form of
analysis is continuously used in the everyday world, analogies can easily
be found".
To distinguish between analogy and metaphor (Gr. metapherein—to transfer),
we note that: metaphor is when we say X is Y such that Y is used to enhance
the ‘meaning’ associated with X. With metaphor, we can build layers
and
layers of data such that the metaphor is refined, and thus a long way from
the ‘thing’ itself, but also encapsulates as many aspects of ‘the thing’
as
possible. What is implied in this is that all metaphors have a potentially
hierarchic structure.
It is important to note that metaphor works wholistically—we transfer all
meanings of X rather than some aspectual meanings of X. It is the process
of transfer "that can lead to the confusion of map with territory in that
the whole map is a metaphor for the whole territory and thus the confusion
is more total than partial". We can see this in psychoanalysis, Lofting
points out, with the concept of the transference: "where a whole persona,
not just aspects, is ‘given’ to the therapist by the patient—the therapist
‘becomes’ mother or father or whatever in an attempt to enhance the
‘meaning’ of the therapist/patient relationship". However, I believe
we
also find that this metaphor (of the transference in psycho-analysis)
exists at another level as a yet greater ‘whole’, namely that which, in
the
adult love-relationship, can be enjoyed, once synthesis and dichotomous
analysis are reconciled in relation to the 64 bit binary tree as it
is
seen to "resonate" vis-a-vis the 12-dimensional matrix. Hic Rhoda;
hic
salta. Here is the [12-dimensional] rose; here begin to dance.
There is a definite distinction between analogy and metaphor, it should
be
said—analogy is [LH] aspectual whereas, as I say, metaphor is [RH]
wholistic. However, "since any [RH part object] ‘whole’ can at times
be an
aspect of a greater [LH] whole [object] then it can be used in an analogous
form [e.g. as the breast is a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ part object so in "the same
way" the beloved can be a ‘good’ or ‘bad’ whole object]; and this can cause
confusion if one is not aware of the levels of [LH] analysis". Another
feature the bimodal-psychoanalytical model and Lofting’s template share
in
common, then, is that the symbol for "any part can be seen as a whole in
its own right and thus will also have aspects. It is thus context
[e.g. a
LH or RH bimodal-psychoanalytical bias] that determines whether we are
looking at a ‘part’ [e.g. the RH biased breast part object] or a ‘whole’
[e.g. the LH breast-mother whole object]".
## <.> ##
In analysing a whole, using dichotomy, the first step is to separate it
by
looking for aspects. These come in two forms, removable parts and
non-removable. Parts have a special function in that they can also
be
wholes but at a different level of analysis; they are thus removable
aspects. To retain the structure of the whole we first copy it [e.g. via
a
RH identification] and then dissect the copy [e.g. into ‘good’ and/or ‘bad’
LH object] -- the crucial thing being that the process of dissection leads
to the emergence of a binary tree that reflects the possible analytical
steps through time.
In the case of the I Ching, this is (from the ‘bottom up’):-
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| ------ | -- -- | ------ | -- -- | ------ | -- -- |
------ | -- -- |
| ------ | ------ | -- -- | -- -- | ------ | ------ | --
-- | -- -- |T3
| ------ | ------ | ------ | ------ | -- -- | -- -- | --
-- | -- -- |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
|
|
|
|
|
| ------ |
-- -- | ------
| -- -- |T2
| ------ |
------ | --
-- | --
-- |
+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+-----------------+
| [LH
MALE] |
[RH FEMALE] |
|
------
|
-- --
|T1
|
(expand)
|
(contract)
|
+-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+
|
|
|
(The Whole)
|T0
|
|
+-----------------------------------------------------------------------+
Figure 1. The generation of I Ching trigrams bottom-up.
Seen from the standpoint of "Wholes, Aspects, Parts", this becomes:
+-----+--------------------+-----+--------------------+
|Whole|Aspects of the whole|Parts|Aspects of the Parts|T3
+-----+--------------------+-----+--------------------+
| [LH]Whole
| [RH] Parts
|T2
+--------------------------+--------------------------+
|
Whole
|T1
+-----------------------------------------------------+
Figure 2. The generation of Wholes, Aspects, Parts.
When we consider dynamics, the process of contraction and expansion, then
the above diagram is reflected to allow for them, thus:
+------+---------+-------+---------++---------+-------+---------+------+
| Exp | Exp | Exp | Exp
|| Con | Con | Con
| Con |
|Whole | Aspects | Parts | Aspects || Aspects | Parts | Aspects | Whole|T3
+------+---------+-------+---------++---------+-------+---------+------+
| Exp Whole Exp Parts
|| Cont. Parts | Cont. Whole
|T2
+----------------------------------++----------------------------------+
| Expansive Whole
|| Contractive Whole
|T1
+----------------------------------++----------------------------------+
## <.> ##
We actually find that if we take the standard types of number used in
mathematics, we can place them in the same order as the above:
Positive whole numbers = positive (expansive) wholes bias
irrational numbers = aspects of the whole bias (relational)
rational numbers
= parts bias
complex
numbers = aspects of the parts/whole bias (relational in
the form of transitions/transformations)
This is then reflected for negative numbers.
We can then group all of these for comparison:
General whole/aspects concept:
+------+---------+-------+---------++---------+-------+---------+------+
|Whole | Aspects | Parts | Aspects || Aspects | Parts | Aspects | Whole|T3
+------+---------+-------+---------++---------+-------+---------+------+
(Expansive)
(Contractive)
Mathematics:
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
| whole |irratio|ration |complex|complex|ration |irratio| whole | T3
| |nal |al
| |
|al |nal |
|
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
Positive (Exp). |
Negative (Con).
It is the fact that the template exists in the brain, Lofting believes,
that facilitates the ease with which we make analogies. For example, in
the
various ‘maps’ listed above, all cells in the left-most position deal in
some way with [LH] expansive blending (wholeness).
"Whole numbers are either primes or composites of. Rational numbers
symbolise all the possible cuts of the whole = parts. They thus form
all
the elements of the harmonic series. Irrational numbers symbolise
static
relationships (e.g. e, pi, phi—diameter to circumference). Complex
numbers
symbolise cyclic and morphic change (sqrt(-1)). As we go deeper,
so we
find one type expressed within the context set by another—whole numbers
within the context of complex numbers, as we find in some elements of
quantum mechanics (integer jumps) ... the wholes are the [LH] whole numbers
and the parts are the [RH] rational numbers. [N.B. Bimodally, the
‘creation’ of a rational number—i.e. a whole number, or a number that can
be expressed as the ratio of two whole numbers—is a consequence of
suppression of RH sensorimotor-activity (i.e. originally vis-a-vis the
mother) followed by LH object-choice. Since the substitute for the
breast-mother here, number, is the most abstract "object" of all (i.e.
a
"product of the intellect"—arrived at via an hallucination in the thalamus,
I suggest), this argues that scientists who over-specialise in these ‘ideal
objects’ do so because they find the original object, the mother,
persecutory.]
## <.> ##
Though Lofting has not explicitly reached the conclusion that RH
audition-smell-touch is contained within the LH ‘good’ object, nevertheless
it is something that is implicit in his concept of the hybridization of
audition-vision (see below). Emotion, in both tone and vision is
connected
with frequency, manifest in tone as a [RH] harmonic and in [LH] vision
as
colour (visual harmonic). . [N.B. There is the suggestion that the prime
dichotomy of flight/fight is to be found in the emotive bias of the
amygdala. This would explain the ability to elicit opposing emotional
states (e.g. anger/fear) through stimulation of adjacent areas in the
amygdala (Gainotti 1989). At the more abstract level of the neocortex,
Lofting suggests that each frame is given a bias (flight/neutral/fight)
which, because of the harmonic characteristics, adds an emotional
contextual ‘nuance’ to the whole. For example, on a gross context
of
fight, there may develop more abstract levels with flight markers. This
may
elicit an overall ‘fight stance’ but with undertones (harmonics) preparing
for flight. In humans, these nuances are given names that enable
the
distinguishing of one from the other in written form, thus setting the
tone
communicated by a written word. In a visual context ([RH] FORM) a
rich
emotive state can be expressed easily since the full hierarchy is present.
In an auditory context ([LH] PROCESS) there may be limitations due to each
time frame manifesting a gross context (not the fine
whole). Under
extreme conditions this may suggest that emotive states in a PROCESS
environment may be expressed in a somewhat gross manner, whereas rich
emotive states can only be achieved through poetry, music, or oratory,
although prosody in language (rhythm) seems to be picked-up by the [RH]
auditory cortex of the [RH] FORM biased hemisphere.]
As we move through time, each frame will acquire an emotional marker
(Damasio & Damasio 1993) often set by a combination of tone as well
as any
changing visual context (e.g. colour). As we build the message hierarchy,
what has already been comunicated affects the current frame and thus the
emotive tone of the current frame as well as an overall emotive state.
The
crossing of sensory systems is strongly manifest in emotions where a
negative tonal signal can cause one to ‘see red’. The main ‘organ’ of
emotive control seems to be the amygdala, part of the limbic system, which
has extensive connections to the visual cortex as well as the auditory
cortex. The amygdala also has powerful control of the hypothalamus,
a
major hormone control system (Doty 1989).
Furthermore, the amygdala’s association with the temporal lobes, the
apparent highest levels of visualization memory, manifesting neurons firing
to face stimuli (Doty 1989), reinforce the amygdala’s strong FORM bias.
In
addition, for emotion to be expressed in a raw state requires little
context whereas finer expression requires finer contextual background
within one time frame. This suggests the bias of emotion to a [RH
feeling-consciousness] timeframe-free hierarchy.
## <.> ##