Fractals as a better way to explain synchronicity?

[Ninshub]

From Psychology Today:

Fractals: A Better Way to Explain Synchronicity?
Bernard D. Beitman
February 16, 2022

According to psychologist Terry Marks-Tarlow, fractals constitute a meta-level of patterns in the universe—they are the patterns of patterns. They appear at the quantum level and in natural landscapes like coastlines and fault lines. Snowflakes are built on endless varieties of the same basic shape. We see the branching fractal in tree branches and roots, rivers, the arteries and neurons of our bodies.

(...)

Boundary permeability seems to be the key characteristic that fractals share with meaningful coincidences. Simultaneous independent discoveries and shared dreams (Gilhooley and Toich, 2020, p. 9) illustrate boundary permeability between people. The fractal jagged coast of England appears to be a discrete boundary. However, measuring its length depends on the detail of the measuring instrument. The finer the measurements, the longer the coastline, making the separation between land and sea increasingly less distinct (Mandelbrot, 1967).

As described by Marks-Tarlow, a fractal epistemology holds that an objective reality exists outside of our minds (Marks-Tarlow et al, 2019). This belief stands in stark contrast to consciousness theorists who believe that our personal consciousness is the same as external reality. From Marks-Tarlow’s perspective, the fractals of external reality merge (synchronize or come into synchrony) with the fractals of our internal reality. Fractals emerge in the boundary between order and chaos, which is consistent with the observation that meaningful coincidences are increasingly likely to happen during destabilizing life situations like stressors, high emotion, and need. Like synchronicities, fractals can be rhythmic, poetic, and inspiring.

I think this ties in very well with Chaos Theory.  I've been working with fractals for many years - where mathematics and art combine very nicely.

A couple of my own 3D fractal worlds.

   

   

[Ninshub]

Amazing work, Brian.

Amazing work, Brian.

Thank you.

Those are great fractals - I have set the second one as my desktop background image! It looks good, but I fear I may find it difficult to find my icons on it!

BTW, you haven't got a higher resolution version by any chance ?

I remember going to an exhibition of some simple fractals - mainly Mandelbrot and Julia sets. They had some mathematical notes available that described the simple iteration process on which they are based. I took a copy back to my workplace and set up a computer program to reproduce them.

A little later I devised a way to insert the logo of the software I was working on into a blow-up of one of the stripey regions of the Julia set. We used that in a magazine advertisement. Some people liked it, others felt it was vaguely sacrilegious to insert a logo inside a fractal!

I remember that there was talk of using fractals as a superior form of image compression, but I don't think anything came of it, so I am wondering how you use fractals in your work (if that doesn't compromise your anonymity).

Does anyone believe fractals explain synchronicity - I don't.

Those are great fractala - I have set the second one as my desktop background image! It looks good, but I fear I may find it difficult to find my icons on it!

BTW, you haven't got a higher resolution version by any chance ?

I'm afraid not.  I accidently deleted the originals and had to rescue those copies from the internet so they are all I have.  If I could find the formulas, I could redo them except that this old computer is on its last legs and the cooling system is almost dead.  I have a shortcuts folder with a link to it in my taskbar so I don't need icons on the desktop, apart from the recycle bin which I don't think you can safely remove.  I'll see if I can find the formulas anyway and I'll see how this cooling system holds up.

I'm afraid not.  I accidently deleted the originals and had to rescue those copies from the internet so they are all I have.  If I could find the formulas, I could redo them except that this old computer is on its last legs and the cooling system is almost dead.  I have a shortcuts folder with a link to it in my taskbar so I don't need icons on the desktop, apart from the recycle bin which I don't think you can safely remove.  I'll see if I can find the formulas anyway and I'll see how this cooling system holds up.

If you decide to replace the computer, you won't regret it, mine comes with a solid state drive - which provides a huge boost in perceived performance, and of course modern hardware exploits a 64-bit address space, which can address any amount of main memory (up to a limit of about 10^19 bytes - LOL).

If you decide to replace the computer, you won't regret it, mine comes with a solid state drive - which provides a huge boost in perceived performance, and of course modern hardware exploits a 64-bit address space, which can address any amount of main memory (up to a limit of about 10^19 bytes - LOL).

I want to replace it, it's just the money.  I haven't found any regular work since I have been in Sweden, just extra here and there.

I won't derail the thread any more after this but one of my proudest moments was finding out that some of my work was included in a very interesting write up on fractals and creativity.  Bryce, itself, uses fractal algorithms to create landscapes.

https://orbittrap.ca/?p=5799

   

EDIT:  This too

https://orbittrap.ca/?m=201102

   

Brian, really stunningly beautiful stuff man.  Thanks for posting!