The Pattern Problem

One of the first lessons I had to learn was that pattern recognition is both one of our greatest strengths and one of our greatest weaknesses.

Without it, science would not exist. Neither would superstition.

The difficulty lies in distinguishing between patterns that reveal something about the world and patterns that reveal something about ourselves.

For a long time I assumed I had become overly sensitive to coincidence.

Once you spend enough time studying any subject, unrelated details begin to feel connected.

That possibility concerned me enough that I adopted a simple rule.

Never record a conclusion. Only record an observation.

If a conclusion survives repeated observations, it may deserve further attention.

If an observation exists only because I wanted it to exist, time usually exposes it.

I have found that patience is a more reliable filter than confidence.

I would rather arrive late at a correct conclusion than quickly at an attractive one.