[MD] Patterns

[Jorge Goldfarb]

Craig wrote, commenting on mine: 
 Recurrence, from verb recur in its senses of: "to
happen, come up or show up repeatedly".  
 In this sense of recurrence, [&$#] is Not a pattern.

Craig comment: 
"Even & is a pattern.  Each time you look at it, it
recurs"
====== 

Jorge: Not quite. The sign & is not a pattern; it's
just a sign. A pattern may be obtained (as you seem to
suggest) if I repeatedly look at it at regular
intervals. In that case one may say: J. exhibits a
pattern of behavior; he looks at the sign & at regular
intervals.
 
 Note that the pattern concerns "the act of observing
repeatedly" and not the sign by itself.

Craig, if I may add a further example? I may be in the
habit of having breakfast every day at 7 AM. In this
case we could say: J.'s breakfasts exhibit (or conform
to) a pattern. Again, a pattern of behavior of an
individual who does the same thing at regular
intervals. The ommelete and toasts and coffee, or
whatever I may eat at breakfast are not a pattern.
Wouldn't you agree?




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