Why are humans better at understanding patterns than processes?
The human brain, unlike a computer, consists of a great many relatively slow processors working in parallel. Consequently, the human brain is much better at doing a bunch of similar operations in parallel than in doing a series of operations in sequential order. As a result, a lot of human cognition involves doing calculations in advance and storing answers; then in the moment attempting to match the situation at hand to the predetermined situation it most resembles.
How do systems store information?
Systems store information by creating self-perpetuating patterns within themselves: for example, Florence “stores” the relationships and people that constitute the silk trade in the particular spatial pattern of the silk neighborhood.
How do systems learn?
Systems learn by changing in reaction to stimuli, storing some information about successful and unsuccessful responses that allows them to successively refine their approach over time in pursuit of certain goals. Learning is associated with intelligence, and therefore implies that the changes in the system are directed towards some purpose (survival or otherwise).
How do systems adapt?
Systems adapt by changing in reaction to stimuli. Unlike learning, adaptation does not imply either a purpose or the successful approximation of that purpose: any change a system undergoes without collapsing can be thought of as adaptation, whether or not it represents any sort of improvement (improvement implies goal-seeking) or increase in stability.
What are the opposing forces that “keep the drift and tumult of history at bay”?
The force which keeps the drift and tumult of history at bay is the “stickiness” of self-organizing systems. They generate internal forces which preserve their structure in the face of external challenges, adapting and learning to survive.