Saturday, December 21, 2024
遞迴 (遞歸) (Recursion)
https://zh.wikipedia.org/zh-tw/%E9%80%92%E5%BD%92
語言中的例子
- 從前有座山，山裡有座廟，廟裡有個老和尚，正在給小和尚講故事呢！故事是什麼呢？「從前有座山，山裡有座廟，廟裡有個老和尚，正在給小和尚講故事呢！故事是什麼呢？『從前有座山，山裡有座廟，廟裡有個老和尚，正在給小和尚講故事呢！故事是什麼呢？……』」
- 一隻狗來到廚房，偷走一小塊麵包。廚子舉起杓子，把那隻狗打死了。於是所有的狗都跑來了，給那隻狗掘了一個墳墓，還在墓碑上刻了墓誌銘，讓未來的狗可以看到：「一隻狗來到廚房，偷走一小塊麵包。廚子舉起杓子，把那隻狗打死了。於是所有的狗都跑來了，給那隻狗掘了一個墳墓，還在墓碑上刻了墓誌銘，讓未來的狗可以看到：『一隻狗來到廚房，偷走一小塊麵包。廚子舉起杓子，把那隻狗打死了。於是所有的狗都跑來了，給那隻狗掘了一個墳墓，還在墓碑上刻了墓誌銘，讓未來的狗可以看到……』」
- 大雄在房裏，用時光電視看著從前的情況。電視畫面中的那個時候，他正在房裏，用時光電視，看著從前的情況。電視畫面中的電視畫面的那個時候，他正在房裏，用時光電視，看著從前的情況……
What is recursion? Is it the essence of time? What’s the difference between recursion and eternal return? （ChatGPT, 2024-12-21)
What is Recursion?
Recursion, in its simplest form, is a process where a function, structure, or phenomenon refers to itself or repeats in a self-similar way. It is commonly used in mathematics, computer science, and philosophy.
• In Mathematics/Computer Science: A recursive function solves a problem by breaking it down into smaller instances of the same problem. For example, the factorial of a number is defined recursively:
with the base case .
• In Philosophy/Systems Thinking: Recursion appears as self-referentiality or feedback loops. Systems can recursively affect themselves, leading to emergent complexity.
Is Recursion the Essence of Time?
Recursion could be seen as a metaphor for time because time itself can exhibit self-referential patterns, such as cycles, feedback loops, or layered processes:
1. Self-Similarity Across Time Scales: Natural processes often display fractal-like recursion, where patterns repeat at different temporal or spatial scales (e.g., day-night cycles vs. yearly cycles).
2. Historical Recursion: In human history, patterns (wars, cultural renaissances, collapses) repeat in ways that are reminiscent of recursive processes.
3. Temporal Feedback: Recursion mirrors how the present is shaped by the past, while simultaneously shaping the future—a feedback loop inherent in time’s flow.
However, recursion is a structural principle, whereas time also involves change, causality, and entropy, making recursion an aspect of time rather than its “essence.”
Eternal Return vs. Recursion
Eternal Return and Recursion share similarities, as both involve repetition and self-similarity, but they differ in meaning and implications:
1. Eternal Return:
• Origin: A metaphysical concept, famously associated with Friedrich Nietzsche.
• Definition: The idea that all events in the universe will recur infinitely in exactly the same way.
• Philosophical Implication: It suggests a deterministic, cyclic universe where time has no ultimate progress or end—everything repeats exactly as it was.
• Temporal Scope: Eternal return is a cosmological and ontological claim about the entire universe’s structure.
2. Recursion:
• Origin: A logical, mathematical, or structural principle.
• Definition: A process or function where the outcome refers back to itself in a dynamic, evolving manner.
• Philosophical Implication: It focuses on self-referential processes and emergence, allowing for variability and adaptability within repeated patterns.
• Temporal Scope: Recursion does not assume exact repetition but often generates new complexity through repetition with variation.
Key Differences
Aspect Eternal Return Recursion
Nature of Repetition Exact repetition of events (static cycles). Iterative self-reference (dynamic, adaptable).
Temporal Outlook Cyclical, deterministic, eternal. Open-ended, often creative or emergent.
Philosophical Context Ontological/metaphysical (cosmology). Structural/functional (systems, logic).
Variability None—everything happens exactly the same. Allows variation and evolution in cycles.
In Summary
• Recursion is a dynamic, self-referential process where patterns repeat and evolve, while eternal return suggests a static, deterministic cycle of exact repetition.
• Recursion may metaphorically describe aspects of time’s structure (e.g., feedback and patterns), but it is not synonymous with the essence of time.
• Eternal return is a more rigid, metaphysical concept, while recursion is a flexible, functional principle that underpins complexity and evolution in systems.
Niklas Luhmann (1927-1998)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niklas_Luhmann#Publications
- 1984: Soziale Systeme: Grundriß einer allgemeinen Theorie, Frankfurt: Suhrkamp
(English translation: Social Systems, Stanford: Stanford University Press, 1995) - https://uberty.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/Niklas_Luhmann_Social_Systems.pdf
The Log from the Sea of Cortez (John Steinbeck, 1951) (1902-1968)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Log_from_the_Sea_of_Cortez
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Steinbeck_bibliography
The Log from the Sea of Cortez is an English-language book written by American author John Steinbeck and published in 1951. It details a six-week (March 11 – April 20) marine specimen-collecting boat expedition he made in 1940 at various sites in the Gulf of California (also known as the Sea of Cortez), with his friend, the marine biologist Ed Ricketts. It is regarded as one of Steinbeck's most important works of non-fiction chiefly because of the involvement of Ricketts, who shaped Steinbeck's thinking and provided the prototype for many of the pivotal characters in his fiction, and the insights it gives into the philosophies of the two men.
The Log from the Sea of Cortez is the narrative portion of an earlier work, Sea of Cortez: A Leisurely Journal of Travel and Research, which was published by Steinbeck and Ricketts shortly after their return from the Gulf of California, and combined the journals of the collecting expedition, reworked by Steinbeck, with Ricketts' species catalogue. After Ricketts' death in 1948, Steinbeck dropped the species catalogue from the earlier work and republished it with a eulogy to his friend added as a foreword.
Committee on the Present Danger: China (CPDC)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Committee_on_the_Present_Danger:_China
Committee on the Present Danger: China (CPDC) is an American foreign policy interest group with an anti-communist ideology focused on the existential and ideological threats posed to the United States and the West by Communist China.[1]
包子下令為了拯救共匪經濟要搞定馬斯克的屌
https://youtu.be/hHK7_YXqIlo?si=eNZBh0-wHkLD5rXh
有趣的是，崇高的偉大的反共鬥士韓國瑜傅崐萁說，包子不知道，馬斯克是 CIA 臥底，讓共匪以為抓到了大躍進的機會，殊不知鋪天蓋地，瞎搞十年，新能源汽車佈局，走進爛尾死局，有點像李登輝設套，宋楚瑜走進興票死局，更有趣的是，崇高的偉大的反共鬥士韓國瑜傅崐萁說，馬斯克不知道，包子也是 CIA 臥底，任務就是搞垮共匪錢袋子，以至一切崩盤，
Strauss–Howe generational theory
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strauss%E2%80%93Howe_generational_theory
The Strauss–Howe generational theory, devised by William Strauss and Neil Howe, describes a theorized recurring generation cycle in American history and Western history. According to the theory, historical events are associated with recurring generational personas (archetypes). Each generational persona unleashes a new era (called a turning) lasting around 21 years, in which a new social, political, and economic climate (mood) exists. They are part of a larger cyclical "saeculum" (a long human life, which usually spans around 85 years, although some saecula have lasted longer). The theory states that a crisis recurs in American history after every saeculum, which is followed by a recovery (high). During this recovery, institutions and communitarian values are strong. Ultimately, succeeding generational archetypes attack and weaken institutions in the name of autonomy and individualism, which eventually creates a tumultuous political environment that ripens conditions for another crisis.[citation needed]
Strauss and Howe laid the groundwork for their theory in their book Generations: The History of America's Future, 1584 to 2069 (1991), which discusses the history of the United States as a series of generational biographies going back to 1584.[1]In their book The Fourth Turning (1997), the authors expanded the theory to focus on a fourfold cycle of generational types and recurring mood eras[2] to describe the history of the United States, including the Thirteen Colonies and their British antecedents. However, the authors have also examined generational trends elsewhere in the world and described similar cycles in several developed countries.[3]
What’s William Strauss and Neil Howe’s the fourth turning? (ChatGPT, 2024-12-21)
William Strauss and Neil Howe’s The Fourth Turning is a theory of cyclical generational patterns in history, presented in their 1997 book of the same name. The theory posits that historical events unfold in recurring cycles, called saecula, approximately 80-100 years long, each consisting of four “turnings.” Each turning lasts about 20-25 years and corresponds to a generational archetype and societal mood. Here’s an overview:
The Four Turnings
1. The First Turning: The High
• Period: Following a major crisis.
• Characteristics: A time of societal stability and order, with strong institutions and a collective sense of purpose. Individualism is de-emphasized, and social cohesion is emphasized.
• Example: Post-World War II era (1946–1964).
2. The Second Turning: The Awakening
• Period: A time of spiritual upheaval and questioning.
• Characteristics: Society begins to challenge established institutions and norms. This era is marked by cultural renewal and a desire for personal and spiritual liberation.
• Example: The 1960s–1980s countercultural movements.
3. The Third Turning: The Unraveling
• Period: Institutions weaken, and individualism grows.
• Characteristics: Society becomes fragmented, distrust of authority rises, and cultural conflicts intensify. There is a general sense of instability.
• Example: The 1980s–2000s era of polarization and institutional decline.
4. The Fourth Turning: The Crisis
• Period: A time of major upheaval.
• Characteristics: Institutions are torn down and rebuilt, often through conflict, war, or revolution. This turning resolves the societal tensions that accumulated in the previous phases and paves the way for a new High.
• Example: The Great Depression and World War II (1929–1946).
Generational Archetypes
Each turning is shaped by four generational archetypes, which repeat in sequence:
1. Prophet (Idealist): Born after a crisis, they grow up during a High and come of age during an Awakening (e.g., Baby Boomers).
2. Nomad (Reactive): Born during an Awakening, they grow up during an Unraveling and come of age during a Crisis (e.g., Generation X).
3. Hero (Civic): Born during an Unraveling, they grow up during a Crisis and come of age during a High (e.g., Millennials).
4. Artist (Adaptive): Born during a Crisis, they grow up during a High and come of age during an Awakening (e.g., Generation Z).
Key Ideas
• Historical Recurrence: Society progresses through cycles of growth, decay, and renewal, driven by generational dynamics.
• Intergenerational Tension: Each generation responds to the conditions of its upbringing and shapes the trajectory of the cycle.
• Present and Future: As of the book’s publication, the authors predicted that the United States was entering a Fourth Turning, characterized by economic, political, and social crises.
Criticism and Impact
• Criticism: Critics argue the theory oversimplifies complex historical events and imposes a rigid structure on history. It has also been criticized for being overly deterministic.
• Impact: Despite criticism, The Fourth Turning has influenced political discourse and policy debates, and it gained renewed attention in the 21st century during periods of social and political turmoil.
The theory invites reflection on history’s patterns and how societies might prepare for and navigate transformative periods.
William Strauss (1947-2007)
- Chance and Circumstance (1978)
- Reconciliation After Vietnam (1978)
- Generations (1991)
- Fools on the Hill (1992)
- 13th-GEN (1993)
- The Fourth Turning (1997)
- Millennials Rising (2000)
- Sixteen Scandals (2002)
- Millennials Go To College (2003, 2007)
- Millennials and the Pop Culture (2006)
- Millennials and K-12 Schools (2008)
Neil Howe (b 1951)
- On Borrowed Time (1988)
- Generations (1991)
- 13th Gen: Abort, Retry, Ignore, Fail? (1993)
- The Fourth Turning (1997)
- Global Aging: The Challenge of the Next Millennium (1999)
- Millennials Rising (2000)
- The 2003 Aging Vulnerability Index (2003)
- Millennials Go To College (2003, 2007)
- The Graying of the Middle Kingdom (2004)
- Millennials and the Pop Culture (2005)
- Long-Term Immigration Projection Methods (2006)
- Millennials and K-12 Schools (2008)
- The Graying of the Great Powers (2008)
- Millennials in the Workplace (2010)
- The Fourth Turning Is Here: What the Seasons of History Tell Us about How and When This Crisis Will End (2023)[13]