The 4 Operations of Thinking
Table of Contents
The previous section explained the 3 Actions of the Mind.
The thinking process combines the actions of flow and force.
It is done by the Lower Mind by processing idea-objects that come either from:
- the external senses, or
- the memory
The mind’s tendency is to connect ideas that are similar to each other. This is because both the mind and its ideas are made of waves that naturally flow with or into each other.
All simple ideas may be separated and united by the imagination as it pleases. This separation and unity is guided by universal principles which make it always uniform. Nature points out to everyone those simple ideas which are most proper to be united into a complex one.
David Hume
Treatise of Human Nature, Book 1, Part 1, Section 4
We thus establish the flowing nature of the thinking process. But what directions does it take?
Since the actions of the mind are from the 3 Gunas or Influences, and since thinking is a flow, then it follows that thinking has 4 Properties which we can most easily see in arithmetical operations.
The Four Operations of Arithmetic on Instances
Arithmetic is the basic core of mathematics that uses 4 operations from the flow which matches the 4 properties of waves:
- Addition as 1st Property of Waves
The 1st Property of Waves is “no void”. This is fulfilled by addition which adds onto the instances. This is like making a line move forward.
- Division is the 2nd Property of Waves
The 2nd Property of Waves is frequency. A sound can be divided into smaller parts.
- Subtraction as the 3rd Property of Waves
The 3rd Property of Waves is amplitude. A wave can have positive and negative values as it goes up and down.
- Multiplication as the 4th Property of Waves
The 4th Property of Waves is forward movement. Multiplication expands just as division contracts.
Addition and Subtraction can start from zero just as a wave can shave an origin or middle point.
Division and Multiplication need a pre-existing instance, just as a frequency needs an existing wave, and expansion needs something to expand.
David Hume’s Relations
We then match these with Hume’s 7 Relations to distill them into 4.
- Identity
This is Property 1 of waves as commonality. This is the mechanism that quantizes or packages ideas into thoughts.
- Resemblance
This is Property 2 of waves as frequency or vibration. This is the affinity or discord between ideas to those in the personality.
This decides whether the idea will be detected in the first place. This is why some people get good ideas but others do not.
- Quantity and Quality
This is Property 3 as strength. This manifests as the ego which has a configuration called a personality. This actually processes the thought.
- Space and Time
This is Property 4 as spread. This makes the mind connect to other ideas automatically.
