11. Symmetry and memory

There is a deep connection between symmetry and memory.It is obvious that we cannot detect a pattern and thus perceive its symmetry, without storing it somewhere in memory.For example, the perception of bilateral symmetry, requires that we store the two mirror shapes, compare them and then perceive their symmetry.
By the same argument the perception of a single musical note, requires the storing of many samples of sound.

But there is another subtle connection between memory and pattern. Once we have found a pattern, we can free the memory from the burden of storing all the details,we remember now the pattern as a single thing. This helps us in storing more complex things. For example if we learn to understand language transmitted with Morse code, first we understand and store the single ti-ta-ti-ti ... Then single characters tititi - tatiti and then we may arrive to perceive complete words as single patterns.

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