Threesology Research Journal
Three and Counting

A Study of Repeating 3s


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For those unfamiliar with the concept of "threes" let me offer some references which explore the phenomena from different perspectives:



In making a list of "three-patterned" ideas, you may prefer to focus on a single topic such as Astronomy/Cosmology, Physics, Biology, Sports, Fairy tales, History, etc... But if you make a collection from a multiple array of subjects as I have done, you can't help but come across the realization that the pattern comes with other patterns, such an an underlying 1-2-Many or 3-to-1 themes. No less, you begin to see that your list, arranged chronologically in terms of our present human perception of life and its place in the universe over time and distance; the list exhibits a history of our cognitive development.


In our efforts to piece reality together... to find some meaning or appreciable rationale, we are inclined to the use of enumeration. In others, a list of threes expresses a model of counting. For example, here is a sequence of ideas concerning the Universe and its origination:


  1. We have the concept of 1 Universe created by 1 god.
  2. We also have the view that there is a parallel Universe, which is the value of "2">
  3. We also consider the possibility of a multi-verse.

We also see a variation in the development of biology, of which the following are examples;


  1. Single Stranded RNA World came first
  2. Double stranded DNA World came second
  3. Triple conformation Protein World came third

(A singlet code for RNA/DNA is thought to have arisen first, followed by a doublet code, than the present triplet code.)


  1. A single "Monoploblastic" germ layer developed producing simple animal life forms such as the sponges.
  2. A double "Diploblastic" germ layer developed producing later animal life forms such as the Cnidaria and Ctenophora, (such as jellyfish).
  3. A triple "Trploblastic" germ layer developed producing the range of complex animal life forms from earth worms to humans.

  1. Adenosine (mono-1) phosphate energy sources came first.
  2. Adenosine (di-2) phosphate energy sources came second.
  3. Adenosine (tri-) phosphate became the primary source of energy for cellular processes.

(Basketball is thought by some to have begun its history with a 1-point shot, followed by a 2-point shot, and now we also have a 3-point shot.)


When we look at the enumerations of worshipped gods, we have the following distinct categories. Interestingly, the adoption of a multiple god belief is thought to have occurred first among early peoples, with the concept of a single god coming last in the cognitive series. It should be further noted that beliefs in gods are regularly lumped into the same intellectual sandbox as mythology, cosmology, religion and witchcraft/Wiccanism. Also note that the varying quantitative cognitive categories will sometimes overlap features, thus indicating transitional stages of development:

  • Many, multiple gods... typically 4 or more in quantity; (Polytheism, List of Pantheons)
    • The Christian Trinity is sometimes viewed as a modernized variation of a Polytheistic view practiced in a labeled monotheism.
    • Tritheism is defined as a polytheistic nontrinitarian Christian conception of God in which the unity of the Trinity and, by extension, monotheism are denied.
  • 3 gods such as the multiple Triads in religion and mythology as well as Astrology. (It is not customary to find people discussing examples of Science as being cognitively similar, though underlying superstitions abound.)
  • 2 gods such as Mother/Father; List of Twins; Duotheism; Dualism in Cosmology
  • 1 god (Monotheism) (Dualistic god concepts abound and the concept of the Trinity is sometimes viewed as a polytheistic concept.)

Triune brain model

Upon looking at the development of the brain, the process of development in terms of a basic model of overlapping ascension, was proposed by Paul MacClean as a Triune Brain Theory commonly thought to have proceed along a 3-step course of Reptilian- Limbic- Neocortex, or lower, middle and upper brain processes:

  1. Reptilian Brain (Basal Ganglia)
  2. Limbic Brain (Emotional Center)
  3. Neocortex (Rational Mind)

However, with respect to the ascension of developing cognitive processes, I decided to look a bit closer at functional attributes, again noting that overlapping integrations can take place. In this model of a triune brain I differentiated functional attributes which uncovered a distinct 1-2-3 associationst model involving enumeration:

  1. Reptilian brain is singularly oriented towards a self-survival "oneness".
  2. Right Hemisphere attributes show a clear orientation towards a usage of duality.
  3. Left Hemisphere attributes show a clear orientation towards a usage of triplicity.

Speaking in terms of Evolution subject to the forces of environmental pressures such as the ongoing incremental deteriorations of the planet and its system of partners, the human brain is appears to be moving along a course of having a greater reliance on left-hemisphere attributes and their basic Trichotomic patterning. See:

For those of you who have ventured into a history of Mathematics, your encounter with humanity's early fledgling attempts at constructing a counting system, can generally be described in terms of three number words: "One- Two- Many", as a counting methodology related to a similarity of human cognitive activity. While different subjects use their own language and symbols, all of them represent rudimentary counting systems... with the third item sometimes portraying that which lays beyond the two as an all encompassing mystery.


Instead of the word "many", we can see an assortment of Labels and symbols such as plurality, multiplicity, much, more, heap, pile, bunch, infinity, etc., including amounts such as thousands, millions, billions, trillions, gazillions, etc... In other words, different time periods and different languages used their own linguistic/cognitive means for referencing the "Many".


With respect to the present day perspective of their being only one god, (a theme by the way perpetrated by the egotism of the early Jews who thought of themselves as being the "chosen people" destined for a "chosen place") which was not the ancient standard among ancient peoples; we can find the usage of ideas involving twins, triples and multiplicities that are sometimes called pantheons. And even though in your private researching you may come across someone speaking of ancient cultures which has a specific enumeration, the point is that the human mind was indulging in enumeration. However, my research into the threes phenomena has uncovered a very serious precedent about the current state not only of Mathematics, but Psychology and Philosophy as well.


A look at the history of mathematics from a perspective of "threes" that I call 'Trichotomization', we can see a troubling cognitive pattern. The sequence goes something like this:



Mathematics as we know it today arose from a (generally speaking) "1-2-Many" counting sequence based on pairing and associated with commerce (e.g. bartering/trading). This is not to say that the development was sequentially smooth without interruption or regression, nor that it didn't occur in multiple places with different stages of accomplishment.


The usage of a "pairing" method for the development of Mathematics has been expanded and can now be seen as a list of dualities, quite reminiscent of the cognitive exercise explored by the ancient Chinese called the Yin/Yang philosophy. Take a look at some sample lists:


Lists of dualities comparison

Whereas the ancient Chinese attempted to move into a "Trinary" model of thinking with respect to the Triads in the I Ching (book of changes) involving metaphysics and spirituality, Western civilization pursued a different route that was initiated oriented towards commerce and geometry, which some might identify with practicality. However, what we see today is that at the other side of "pure" mathematics is an inclination to indulge in the presumed art of speculation, supposition, and otherwise metaphysical considerations of perception. This is why Mathematics is often described as an art or even a type of music with its own biology. Of course, different analogies can be used to describe the present state of the human mind in its desire to pursue greater truths and provide illustrative proofs called equations.


Whereas the ancient Chinese attempt to develop a Trinary model for understanding reality, its efforts fell short from being able to provide illustrative proofs. However, Western devised Mathematics has barely begun to explore a tripartite model of conceptualization because it fails to recognize its dependency on dualities. No less, the attempt by the ancient Chinese failed because they also used a platform of dichotomy to construct their house of triads on. When we look at the so-called triads exhibiting a 3-part configuration of two sets of different line quantities, most people fail to recognize that the use of a single line represents the male "penis" principle and the two-line configuration represents the female "vagina" principle. (The use of the word "principle" was an older means of being scholarly and not give the impression of engaging in pornographic language, due to the sensibilities of former eras.)



But let me be fair, Western Mathematics has attempted on some occasions to develop a trinary orientation such as is exhibited by Trigonometry (the 3-poart Pythagorean theorem), set theory, and in particular the use of a basic 3-part Boolean (AND- OR- NOT) logic applied to... yet another system of dualities called the zeros and ones of computer language based on the on/off characteristics of an electrical circuit. In fact, computers are much like a collection of fast moving on and off switches.


The attempted development of a Quantum computer is based on the case for using a ternary/trinary logic. In other words, they require a counting system which does not rely heavily on a foundation of dichotomization. What researchers in this field are doing without realizing it, is trying to establish a new model of Mathematics with its own unique history so that it does not find itself facing a cul de sac of inquiries that present Mathematicians are in. Whereas the old Yin/Yang perspective of reality was not enumerated in terms of associating it with commercial interests, and that the later attempt to exceed this formula of thinking to reach a "3" was genuinely original, it has fallen short because its intended application did not provide illustrated proofs. In other words, if we take cues and clues from both the Chinese system of non-commercialized dichotomies and the Western system of commercialized dichotomies, we are left with a new path of consideration.


To do so, we need to adopt a new methodology for perceiving reality. Dogmatism from either side of this equation gets us into a stalemate. This is where the study of threes comes in. It provides a model of thinking about the reality of cognitive behavior such as the application of a counting theme to perceptions developed in all subjects. By so doing, it will exhibit our limitations and the variables we frequently dismiss. The resulting equation will be... an acceptance of the need for a counting system based on a trinary acknowledgment of the binary dependency which present mathematics has and instead use a multiplicity of three-patterned cognitive ideas to formulate a counting system based on a 3-part sharing associated at a distance from its application solely or mostly with no commercial interests, even though others will apply it to such an end.


And along with the problem of dichotomies in Mathematics, we find that Psychology... derived from various philosophies, also has a history of dependency on patterns-of-two, often characterized with the general notion of a Mind/Body problem.


Examples of dualities found in Psychology

The problem with Psychology's Persistent Dichotomies is that it has no provision for the idea of "Trichotomization". The rationale is put as thus:


The mind connected to the brain derived by way of adaptation called Evolution, clearly exhibits a history of expansion towards complexity. Hence, past obsessions with dichotomies are necessarily geared for eventually being supplanted by trichotomies though the early stages of development may well involve incremental, intermittent, or punctuated sequences that can happen to individuals and/or groups.


For example, to state the issue more plainly, let us take the hypothetical situation in which we have a child who is undergoing a developmental shift in cognition towards trichotomization, who is interpreted as having a problem "adjusting to reality"... which is a reality dominated by those in their social venue who have adopted an orientation towards a reliance on various dualities. And so the child is sent to a specialist (intelligent family member, counselor, theologian, psychologist...) who is also steeped deeply into the use of dichotomies, even though they too may have found a happy medium of applying their "threes" experiences into a model of acceptance which provide for some measure of indulgence... however, with the underlying intent of directing the child on a course for being oriented towards the usage of dichotomies, whether or not anyone involved is at all aware of the underlying cognitive patterns aligned with enumeration. In short, the child is confronted by those whose perceptions of reality count by way of an underlying system of duality they unknowingly want the child to mimic, even though the brain of the child is more closely aligned in the direction of trichotomization... and not a single person is even aware of it. Indeed, the idea of Trichotomization is not even on the radar of most people.


Some historical references may be of value to highlight how the developing realization of trichotomization affects different people and creates an effect aligned with their interests, because society has not yet learned to recognize the evolutionary development of trichotomization nor direct the development of such along a fruitful path for all of humanity. In most circumstances, the expressed trichotomy of one person's or one groups orientation is rejected by others, regardless of any magnanimous definition applied. The idea of a developing orientation towards trichotomization remains in a state of oblivion for most people, institutions, governments, businesses, religions, and other philosophies, though they have adapted to the usage of one or more "threes" ideas:



The idea of three university degrees (Scholar, Bachelor, and Master) came into being during the thirteenth century at existing universities. Early universities were like medieval guilds of scholars and teachers, and the word "university" itself comes from the Latin phrase "universitas magistrorum et scholarium". Advanced degrees, such as the Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), began to gain importance in the mid-nineteenth century. The concept of a "Bachelor's degree" has its roots in the Middle Ages, tied to craftsmanship and skilled artisans. The University of Naples, founded by Emperor Frederick II, was the first to be established under imperial authority, while the University of Toulouse, founded by Pope Gregory IX, was the first to be established by papal decree.



(Google search query: Where did the idea of 3 university degrees come from?)

It is easy to put a list of patterns(-of-three) together. But what you do with it afterwards, makes a great deal of difference.



Origination: Friday, June 6th, 12:48 AM
Date of initial posting: Friday, June 6th, 5:27 AM
Updated Posting: Friday, June 6th, 4:14 PM