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~ The Study of Threes ~
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 |
Researchers as of 3/17/2021
Note: If you have come looking for patterns-of-three in Anatomy, please go to this site: List of threes in Anatomy by Dr. McNulty and Associates.
My method of categorizing may not suit the taste of those want either an encyclopedic, dictionary or library model of listing different items. My method is one in which a Journalistic "jotting down" profile of examples is being kept as I pursue different avenues of research.
In reflection, with respect to the title of this page, it is necessary to point out that my usage of the words "anatomy" and "physiology" can be broadly applied to include inanimate objects and occurrences as well as subject areas in which such words are not typically applied. For example, one can speak of the anatomy and physiology of an chemical, electric or mechanical motor just as one might describe a society as a functional biological entity. No less, the word "scaffolding" can be alternatively applied to biological, sociological or atomic processes though it most typically accompanies discussions involving building construction. Hence, if your mind does not permit you to explore too far beyond a given subject area, using words, symbols and drawings with which to architecturally draft ideas by simply using correlations and inferences, you might find some of the information here of little value if your thoughts are too securely tailored to conventionalities of consideration. For those of you who don't mind walking into fields of alternative mental and visual landscapes, make sure your intellectual compasses permit you to align the directional needle and orientational symbols as need be... without losing sight of the fact that compasses used on Earth are based on its peculiar environmental dispositions. In other words, conceptions of "true" north on Earth are not necessarily of applicable value on all planets, much less space or other dimensional sojourns.
I am going to venture into many different subject areas with the intent of stressing points about recurrences and limitations, as well as the presence of other patterns as part of, alongside of, or instead of a pattern-of-three. Sometimes I will show such a pattern where none now exists, though the information is available for anyone to compile. For example, someone may say that we have two eyes, and fail to mention that there is the available idea of having a third... mind's eye or a third ear (such as some musicians may claim) or a third hand (where one's mouth is used), and so on. Realistically, we don't have a third eye like the dominant two, but we may well have a misunderstanding about biology in that we are programmed for three but environmental pressures force the third one into a type of unpronounced tertiary development. However, one can provide a discussion in support of two eyes as well. Nonetheless, we can recognize patterns that both do and don't regularly occur, as well as the fact that there is a limitation to the overall patterns we do use over and over and over again.
While it is easy to discount the idea of a "threes" phenomena by claiming any number (or symbol, etc.) can be found to have multiple references if one sets out to deliberately find them, we must identify that not all numbers, symbols, etc., are found everywhere. Though there are many, there exists a limitation. And yes, we can claim that a representative example exists in a given instance, while another does not see it. In other words, a person can make up the existence because they honestly want to believe they see an example thereof. In other words, we can impose our belief onto a given instance in one moment, and yet at some time removed, we may wonder how we could possibly seen something that is not so obvious upon a later examination. Yes, we can fool ourselves and be fooled by others because of a given state of susceptibility. We are not infallible nor impervious to making errors... despite trying to mollify the mistake by saying we were using a type of creative license.
This is why many seek truth in areas of research which appear to offer definitive proof because their view can not only be verified by others, but there is a sustained presence of the truth which may alternatively be described as a natural law. Yet, not all sustained recurrences are called a natural law. Take for existence the repetitive nature of the pattern-of-three or its geometric counterparts in biology, physiology and anatomy. The occurrence of a repetitive "three" formula in human teeth for example, may not be described as a "anatomical law" because it does not occur in all life forms. Though the recurrence may occur in all humans, the lack of occurrence in a single mammal species may be used by some to say that the "law" is not universal... even though its presence is a common recurrence. Recurrences which take place under given conditions and not all conditions may be used by some as an argument against suggesting any relative importance, despite its recognition by millions of people.
Whereas many may well believe that the recurring "threes" in many subject areas is a curiosity and used by them to partake in an advantage to improve their desires, they may quickly dispense with its value if it is suggested that the recurrence is part of a larger perspective which argues against their particular application of the threes phenomena. For example, a person may have a philosophy which incorporates the idea of the Christian Trinity and that the presence of so many "threes" represents (to them) that their religious ideology is correct, but not like it if the same information is used to discount their belief as being little more than yet another "threes" example being individually applied as part of a survival mechanism of rationalization.
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Typical(?) non-typical root variations The Free Dictionary by Farlex |
| Note: I am not familiar with anyone who has done an extensive study on the non-typical variations, in order to determine frequency of occurrence, population differences (if any), which types are more frequent, etc., or how many dentists simply throw the anomalies away because they dismiss such occurrences as an anatomical/evolutionary irrelevance— instead of keeping a record of them, with images or the actual tooth. |
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 Source: Human Teeth Charts |
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Yet, since humans are relatively recent on the scene of evolution, it is necessary to take into consideration developmental beginnings from which we can identify transitional formulas of anatomical change which, when applied with numbers, provide distinctions involving 1, 2, 3 and even additional models which may include 4, 5... etc., as well as fusion. I say "4, 5, etc.," so as to incorporate other anatomical features such as overall limb/finger/rib quantities as a means of indicating there exist limitations due to environmental circumstances/pressures, which no doubt has an affect on limiting human cognition such as intelligence and imagination. The following example of information involving transitional patterns of development speaks well for using enumeration as an analytical tool.
Source for the following table and introductory comments: Transitional Vertebrate Fossils FAQ Part 1B by Kathleen Hunt
This list starts with pelycosaurs (early synapsid reptiles) and continues with therapsids and cynodonts up to the first unarguable "mammal". Most of the changes in this transition involved elaborate repackaging of an expanded brain and special sense organs, remodeling of the jaws & teeth for more efficient eating, and changes in the limbs & vertebrae related to active, legs-under-the-body locomotion. Here are some differences to keep an eye on:
| # | Early Reptiles | Mammals |
| 1 | No fenestrae in skull | Massive fenestra exposes all of braincase |
| 2 | Braincase attached loosely | Braincase attached firmly to skull |
| 3 | No secondary palate | Complete bony secondary palate |
| 4 | Undifferentiated dentition | Incisors, canines, premolars, molars |
| 5 | Cheek teeth uncrowned points | Cheek teeth (PM & M) crowned & cusped |
| 6 | Teeth replaced continuously | Teeth replaced once at most |
| 7 | Teeth with single root | Molars double-rooted |
| 8 | Jaw joint quadrate-articular | Jaw joint dentary-squamosal (*) |
| (*) The presence of a dentary-squamosal jaw joint has been arbitrarily selected as the defining trait of a mammal. | ||
| 9 | Lower jaw of several bones | Lower jaw of dentary bone only |
| 10 | Single ear bone (stapes) | Three ear bones (stapes, incus, malleus) |
| 11 | Joined external nares | Separate external nares |
| 12 | Single occipital condyle | Double occipital condyle |
| 13 | Long cervical ribs | Cervical ribs tiny, fused to vertebrae |
| 14 | Lumbar region with ribs | Lumbar region rib-free |
| 15 | No diaphragm | Diaphragm |
| 16 | Limbs sprawled out from body | Limbs under body |
| 17 | Scapula simple | Scapula with big spine for muscles |
| 18 | Pelvic bones unfused | Pelvis fused |
| 19 | Two sacral (hip) vertebrae | Three or more sacral vertebrae |
| 20 | Toe bone #'s 2-3-4-5-4 | Toe bones 2-3-3-3-3 |
| 21 | Body temperature variable | Body temperature constant |
Some readers will be quick to notice differences in enumeration such as from single to double or single to triple, though fusion can take place as well. The first image below shows the dental formula of different mammals while the second one shows one jaw composition of an adult human's teeth.
Page initially created: Thursday, 10-August-2017... 4:49 AM
Initial Posting: Thursday, 07-Sept-2017... 5:18 PM
Updated Posting: Monday, 18th August, 2025... 7:00AM