Threesology Research Journal
Rock, Scissors, Paper... 3
Rock, Scissors, Paper graphic
(Basic Geometry of Cognitive Activity)
Point- Line- Plane


RSP 1 RSP 2 RSP 3 RSP 4 RSP 5 RSP 6 RSP 7


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Lookiloos as of August 4th, 2025

Typically, studies about the Rock-Paper_Scissors trio are applied in the context of some Game (or gaming) theory involving decision making scenarios, where some specified subject such as Evolutionary Game Theory (by J. McKenzie Alexander) may be addressed; but there are other metaphorical and analogical approaches as well, including those which present two characteristics but three optional criteria are co-hosted in the illustrated explanation such as the Prisoner's dilemma in which the rules are dualistically stated such as that either or both can betray or benefit from/with the other; but in the 3rd-option Prisoner's dilemma model of the game, the wording is changed to reflect a different parameter of a trichotomous consciousness: "Cooperate", "Defect" or "Abstain".

1, 2, 3 triangle of rock, paper, scissors

Yet no one, other than myself, as far as I have been able to discern, has ventured to claim the existence of what appears to be a Tripartite-arranged scripting of language of displaying a Standard Cognitive Model. It is like looking at a compartmentalized listing of three runic characters which hold a key to deciphering the presence and usage of a tripartite model of cognitive standards used from one time period to the next which become exhibited in different contextual settings of subject matter interests. While the presence of absence of symbols, words, gestures and other behavioral activity may change over time like a 3 shells and 1 pea game or "world word orders":

Example of Subject, Verb, Object word order

The world's languages exhibit diverse word orders, with Subject-Object-Verb (SOV) and Subject-Verb-Object (SVO) being the most common. SOV languages, like Japanese and Korean, place the verb at the end of the sentence, while SVO languages, like English, have the verb follow the subject. Other, less common orders include Verb-Subject-Object (VSO), Verb-Object-Subject (VOS), Object-Verb-Subject (OVS), and Object-Subject-Verb (OSV). Here's a breakdown of the key points:

  • SOV (e.g., Japanese, Korean, Turkish, and the Indo-Aryan languages): Subject - Object - Verb.
  • SVO (e.g., English, Chinese, French, Italian, Spanish, Polish, Swedish...): Subject - Verb - Object.
  • VSO (e.g., Welsh, Arabic): Verb - Subject - Object.
  • Other orders: VOS, OVS, and OSV are much less frequent. (Object–Verb–Subject word order)
    • VOS (e.g., Algonquian, Arawakan, Mayan, Otomanguean, Salishan)
    • OVS (e.g., Äiwoo {Oceanic}, Hixkaryana {Cariban}, Urarina {Peru})
    • OSV (e.g., Xavante, Jamamadi, Apurinã, Kayabí, Nadëb, and Warao. These languages are primarily spoken in the Amazon basin.)
  • Free word order: Some languages, like Latin, have relatively free word order, allowing for variations based on emphasis or style
    • Languages like Latin, Russian, Hungarian, and Turkish are often cited as having relatively free word order. While they may have a default or preferred order, the meaning of a sentence doesn't drastically change when the word order is altered. However, it's important to note that no language has completely free word order, and even in these languages, certain positions are preferred in specific contexts.

If you are used to a particular word order such as "the boy ate pizza", and then you come upon someone who says "pizza ate the boy," you might think they're confused, deranged or even stupid because you think that is not the correct way of talking, nor thinking. Similarly, my usage of the sequence Rock- Scissors- Paper may seem weird to you since you are used to saying and hearing others say "Rock- Paper- Scissors"; yet my explanation for using the "weird" arrangement may convince you to view your's and others usage as a mental flip-flop of logic. You're talking weird because you're thinking weird. You can easily see the flip-flop of language and thinking when you confront situations in which you are sometimes asked to give your 1st, middle, and last names, and at other times you may be asked to give your 1st and last name with or without a Middle initial. And still other times, you may be asked to write you last name, 1st name and then your middle initial. There are of course other sequences involving one of your names or even some moniker (slang name) used by your friends, relative, co-worker or even family. The point is, all of us appear to be engaged in some type of shuffling of behavior... such as emotions and our thoughts. And regardless of the reasons or rationalizations you may want to argue with, nonetheless, we can find a three-piece gaming event taking place.

Not only do humans engage in acts of shuffling thoughts, emotions and behaviors, we see it in the survey alignments of our observations of Natural phenomena such as the 1- 2- 3→ many construction of the Pentadactyl limb. It's hilarious to see so-called humans focus on five digits instead of the larger 1-2-3→ construction. Whereas the "five" (named "Pentadactyl") may be labeled a generic term due to its frequency of occurrence over a wide swath of vertebrates, it is a portrait of the type of arrangement... type of logic being used and taught to millions. It is a game of logic akin to a gaming situation where the order of play (thinking) is fixed and requires everyone to abide by the established rules. Not only is the "Pentadactyl" part of the vertebrate body plan easily seen as a recurrence, but the attached other two part-divisions represent the presence of a tripartite structuring in cognitive behavior.

To this tripartite vertebrate body plan we can add one of the basic plans of life which is the Triplet code of DNA. Let us also talk about the presence of life on the third planet as a plan, without being persuade to make assumptions about some divinity. There are multiple tripartite natural occurrences that are seen but not compiled are extensively thought about, because the governments, religions, and businesses, not to mention multiple of the subjects being taught in school, are exposing people to accept, adopt and advocate the primary persistent usage of dichotomies. The many games of society are fixed and thus are a hindrance to the potential of human consciousness to evolve towards a mental usage of Trichotomization. The Rock- Scissors- Paper idea are runic characters of a code referencing a change in cognitive development that is being suppressed by mathematics, music, business, religion, government policies, sports, education systems, etc., all of whom use fixed systems of dichotomization everyone is being forced to abide by or find themselves in conflict with society and often ostracized (self imposed/socially imposed as a safety measure or otherwise), in one of the many ways in which structured forms of isolation occur in the present era.

3 objects symbolically referencing a 3-language (trilingual) coded (ideographic, cryptographic, runic, enigma-graphic, symbological, geographic, etc...) descriptions of a recurring mental landscape artistically illustrated by the vocabularies, ideological parameters and (sometimes choreographed) ceremonialisms of different subjects, which reveal identifiable changes in the Evolutionary dramas played out by different life forms.

The rock, scissors, paper is a symbolic representation

The title of this page speaks of a simple game that perhaps is more widely known when placed in the colloquial sequence as "Rock, Paper, Scissors," but is a misaligned counting sequence when the words are "translated" into relative number alliances, that most people are oblivious to as inter-connective substitutions of possibility. However, its permutations (for the present context, and not meant to suggest these enumerative examples are the only ones to be construed); can be related to basic geometry as well as basic counting... among multiple others, once the symbological correspondences of underlying criteria is acknowledged as fundamental patterning.

The game of Rock- Scissors- Paper is taken very seriously by some, as attested by the development of a "for fun" World RPS Association. Little do people know that the three elements of the game can be identified as symbols of an underlying basic cognitive patter which surfaces in different subjects and contexts with the respective vocabularies being used, though very often expressed as generalized, specialized or otherwise specific ideological constructs which can make it difficult for readers to realize they are being presented with a tripartite code of different languages, that one might want to analogously describe as a Rosetta Stone, Behistun Rock formation, or Galle Trilingual Inscription. However, some inscriptions bear less than or more than three languages: Multi-lingual inscriptions.

Perhaps using a simplified illustration will help those readers who are more visually oriented:

Rosetta stone illustration
Sketch Plantations 		Rosetta stone idea adapted to rock, scissors, paper game

  1. "A" (meaning "1") rock represents the quantity one.
  2. "A pair" (meaning "2") of scissors represents the quantity two.
  3. "A Paper" appears to imply something that may be small and not as a covering. However...
    • The word "paper" in the game context refers to an envelopment of the rock... even though the rock and scissors account for some referential definition and determination.
    • The dimensions of the paper are not clearly defined since the size of the rock nor scissors are not explicitly defined.
    • Are we thinking of a sheet of notebook paper? Toilet paper? Paper towel or paper plate? How about a roll of newsprint paper or the global presence of paper money? Rice paper? Wrapping or packaging Paper? Paper used for boxes? Business forms, greeting card paper?
    • Are we not surrounded by paper, so to speak?
    • What do we mean when we say "rock"? The rock of Gibraltar? A pebble? A boulder? A mountain? Stone? The name of an actor? A diamond? A gemstone?
    • Why do we say a "pair" of scissors and not scissor? Is it similar to a pair of pants, pair of underwear or pair of glasses but not a pair of shoes, gloves, or hearing aids?

Similarly, we need to look more closely at the individual and collective definitions of Geometry's Point- Line- Plane.

  • A plane extending infinitely in all directions represents the concept of much, many, all the rest, etc..., and the value of being 3rd in a series as well as a collective labeling of a broad concept of "3".

The same triple code of human cognitive activity appears in every subject in different models. In Genetics we see a DNA triplet code. In physics we see 3 families of fundamental particles. In Baseball we have three strikes and your're out. In Basketball we have 1- 2- and 3-point shots. In aircraft landings we have the well-know 3-point landing. We can see it by the use of three fingers to hold a pen, pencil, paint brush. We can see it in the upper right hand corner of computers displayed with three symbols referencing minimize- maximize- close. We see it in the three trimesters of pregnancy. That we are on the 3rd planet. Etc., Etc., Etc...

However, as a generic reference, one can use the internet query "three languages inscription" and receive the following as a reply:

A three-language inscription, or a trilingual inscription, is an inscription that includes text in three different languages. These inscriptions are often found in regions with diverse linguistic populations or where multiple cultures interacted. They serve to communicate the same message to a wider audience, ensuring wider understanding and accessibility.

Here are some notable examples of trilingual inscriptions:

  • The Rosetta Stone: While often associated with the Rosetta Stone, it's important to note that it's actually bilingual (Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic, Demotic, and Ancient Greek).
  • Galle Trilingual Inscription: This inscription, found in Sri Lanka, features texts in Chinese, Tamil, and Persian, installed by the Chinese admiral Zheng He.
  • Xerxes I inscription at Van: Located in Turkey, this inscription includes text in Old Persian, Elamite, and Babylonian.
  • Letoon trilingual: Found in Turkey, it features text in Lycian, Ancient Greek, and Aramaic.
  • Aphek-Antipatris inscription: Found in Israel, it includes text in Sumerian, Akkadian, and Canaanite.
  • Inscription on the cross (INRI): The inscription "Jesus the Nazarene, King of the Jews" was written in Hebrew, Latin, and Greek.

These inscriptions provide valuable insights into the languages, cultures, and political landscapes of the time periods in which they were created. They also demonstrate the importance of multi-lingualism as a means of communication and cultural exchange.

Yet, the problem with this overall "3-languages description" is that it doesn't begin to describe the multiplicity of "languages" human behavior indulges in. Such a list would no doubt attempt to include all types of behavior with their respective types of expressions such as mathematics, music, gambling, acting, singing, basket weaving, sports playing, eating, hunting, crafts, etc... And yet, though one might find some satisfaction in making a lengthy list of these characteristics, they may fail to include the languages taking place in one's body on a chemical, molecular and atomic level. Whereas we don't describe such processes as "languages," use of such a term in non-usual contexts of discussion has a reliable application so long as one is not too restrictive in their definitions. In other words, the triplet code of DNA is a language. Planetary behavior is a language. Weather patterns are a language. Military, gaming, and sports strategies are languages. Reading the "tells" of card players is a practice in attempting to decipher a particular type of behavioral language. Similarly, the brain engages in the usage of what might be describe as multiple languages, but may be better defined as a recurring code to unlock the differences of multiple tri-lingual inscriptions being used in different contexts.

If we say that the colloquial description of "Rock- Paper- Scissors" expression is a language, let us look more closely at its word order and recognize this expression is out of order and it appears that all tripartite themes have and attached cardinality (1- 2-3 ) and (1st- 2nd- 3rd) ordinal sequencing. The presently wide-spread "rock- paper- scissors" expression is like saying a person's first name, then last name, then their middle name. If we go back far enough into the history of the game, we might well find that it initially followed the Chinese naming convention of last name followed by the first name which can be seen as a practice today. However, the game's transitional development into European standards with two names (following earlier one-name conventions) which later adopted the Roman three names convention consisting of the (Praenomen- Nomen- Cognomen); and later being changed to the commonly used 1st, Middle, Last names... though one's ego sometimes adopted the behavior of using a more extensive listing.

At this point it is of need to let the reader note that in as much as i have listed a 1- 2- Many lineup, this is not to say that in some instances you will not encounter the sequence zero (notiong), One- Two. Not only can the 1- 2- Many being interpreted as a qualitative explanation, but also as a 1-2-3 sequence and 1st- 2nd- 3rd order. Instead of a qualitative similarity, you may see a sequence and thus create two different categories based on this criteria, and also create a third (or more) categories in concert with how you perceive the presence or absence of an inter-connectedness. Like three people who live together... they may be close blood relatives, distant blood relatives, or put together by different, individualized (or collectively similar) circumstances. Let me give an example of the zero- one- two from page 52 of Daryn Lehoux's "Creatures born of Mud and Slime" in which he provides a reference to Arisotle's thinking about the generation of bees:

...Aristotle finds some solace in his discovery of a mathematical series at play: Kings generate two things (kings and workers), workers generate one (only drones), and drones generate nothing.

Yes, for those unfamiliar with Aristotle but think of him solely as a philosopher, he was keenly interested in Nature with respect to how different life forms appear to propagate... from which we got the now debunked idea of Spontaneous Generation which at one time and for several centuries was a well respected belief by the foremost scientists and thinkers of past ages... who, by the way, were dead wrong about some things, partially right about others, and surprisingly accurate (in a modern sense) about other things.

Similar to the three parts of a word which might be used as a prefix- infix- or suffix, the order of names, or number, or letters, or symbols, or gestures, or one's wardrobe, or items in a refrigerator, or items in a cupboard, or list of chores by one's personalized relevance and time allocation, etc...; just as one might describe a life span as youth- middle age- old age, or the virgin- mother- crone stages of a life, or young soul- old soul- ancient soul, or Owner- Manager- Employee, or Coach- Captain- Player, or Upper- Middle- Lower socio-economic classes, etc., the human mind over the ages has and is engaging in various three-part models of mix and match:

And let me include those examples which are not typically seen as a tripartite ideology, though they are very much part of the three-part cognitive streaming possibilities of human conceptualization:

  • Triple threat: ("Triple threat" generally refers to a person skilled in three areas, particularly in the context of entertainment or sports.)
  • Triple crown winner: (While developed as a reference to Thoroughbred Horse Racing, this phrase has been adopted and adapted for multiple 3-staged events occurring most often in one year... or as a lifetime achievment:
  • Thoroughbred Horse Racing: Kentucky Derby, Preakness Stakes, Belmont Stakes.
  • Motor-sports:
    • Indianapolis 500, 24 Hours of Le Mans, and the Monaco Grand Prix (F1).
    • Endurance racing: 24 Hours of Daytona, 12 Hours of Sebring, and 24 Hours of Le Mans.
    • NASCAR: Daytona 500, Coca-Cola 600, and Southern 500.
    • NHRA (Drag Racing): Winternationals, U.S. Nationals, and the Finals.
  • Baseball:
    • Batting: Leading the league in batting average, home runs, and RBI in a single season.
    • Pitching: Leading the league in wins, strikeouts, and ERA in a single season.
  • Poker:
    • Winning a World Series of Poker (WSOP) bracelet, a World Poker Tour (WPT) Main Event title, and a European Poker Tour (EPT) Main Event title (now PokerStars Championship) across a career.
  • Hiking:
    • Completing the Appalachian Trail, the Pacific Crest Trail, and the Continental Divide Trail.
  • Golf:
    • Winning the Masters, the U.S. Open, and The Open Championship in the same year.
    • Winning the Open Championship, the U.S. Open, and the Canadian Open in the same year.
  • Surfing:
    • Winning the Vans Hawaiian Pro, the Vans World Cup of Surfing, and the Billabong Pipe Masters on Oahu's North Shore.
  • Road Cycling:
    • Tour de France, Giro d'Italia, and UCI Road World Championships.

Oh, and let me not fail to mention the various types of "threes" ideas which may not have reached any definable attribution, but were nonetheless part of the human history of cognitive efforts to obtain some "three" state that some later individula may have attempted to claim the existence of a higher, more profound, or superior acquisition by labeling in four, or more:

  • Hitler's 3rd Reich
  • 3rd Estates Idea
  • USA's 3 divisions of government (Very often functions as a single entity with no real checks and balances and no direct impute from the public.)
  • 3 worlds theory of Mao Zedong
  • Karl Popper's 3 Worlds
  • 3 Pillars of Newt Gingrich: In 1984, Newt Gingrich articulated his vision for a "conservative opportunity society" built upon three pillars (This concept can be seen as Gingrich's "three worlds" in the context of his vision for America's future, aiming to move beyond the perceived limitations of a liberal welfare state towards a society that fosters individual empowerment and economic opportunity.):
    • Free Enterprise: Promoting a system where individuals and businesses have the freedom to innovate and compete, with minimal government intervention.
    • High Technology: Recognizing the transformative power of technology and investing in its advancement to drive economic growth and societal progress.
    • Traditional Values: Emphasizing the importance of foundational American values and institutions, which he believed provided the framework for a thriving society.
  • ETC... (Many businesses, religions, military operations, government agencies, private groups, etc., use 3-part themes which go unrecognized and unlisted by any historian or philosopher.)

While the objects of the game (rock, scissors, paper) are easily defined and represent actual entities, this is not the case for the items of basic geometry nor basic counting. While all the labels are made up, and the structures of scissors and paper developed by way of human imagination into physical palpable realities, only the rock is a Natural entity. Nonetheless, the rules of the employed betting game are a concoction and are accepted as a colloquial (everyday/common sense) model of logic which are interpreted and applied to varying contexts by different interpretations. Though clearly noted but not always verbalized, the 3 trios represent a pattern-of-three association easily understood by many different people of different ages in different cultures:

  1. The 3 first numbers (1-2-3) in the cardinal and (1st, 2nd, 3rd) in the Ordinal system of counting.
  2. Rock- Scissors- Paper
  3. Point- Line- Plane

These configurations can readily be viewed as elements of basic thinking patterns occurring in different ways with different symbols and words in different subjects. However, few people take the time to create a list of the many parallels or take time to exam the basic structures which parallel one another by broadening our definitions into a basic commonality. Even though a sequential ordering 1st- 2nd- 3rd can be done by just about anyone without regard to any attributable context or meaning, few readers might consider the possibility that the first can be related to the number 1, the second to the number 2 and the third to the number 3 (labeled as "many, much, more, pile, heap..." in the primitive number-word referencing), arranged as thus:

One, two, many equivalences
Game: Rock Scissors Paper
Geometry: Point Line Plane
Valuation: One (1) Two (2) Many (3)
Utensils: Knife= 1 "Fork" = 2 Spoon = 3 (Much, Many)

Page initially created: Sunday, July 20th, 2025... 4:44 AM
Initial posting: Monday, Aug. 4th, 2025... 8:05 AM