[MD] Why are things called patterns?

[craigerb at comcast.net]

[Dan]
> Predators do not recognize patterns of prey...they exhibit preferences.

[Craig, previously]
> But you don't reject a hawk's preferring

[Dan]
> You might need to re-read what I wrote. I said we can infer that hawks
> exhibit preferences, not that they have preferences.

I guess we both needed to reread what you wrote.
Your position is that they "exhibit preferences" but do not "have preferences".
And they do not "recognize patterns of prey" but possibly only exhibit
"recognizing patterns of prey".
Now I'm worried that only you have preferences and the rest of us only exhibit
having preferences. 

[Dan]
> And you are muddling up two different lines of thought here that have nothing to
> do with my reply to you.

Then it should be easy for you to identify those two lines of thought & distinguish them from
your reply.
Craig