Dr David McGrath

Dr David McGrath

Dr David McGrath

Spine Physician

MB BS (Hons) FAFOM, RACP, FAFMM
Master of Pain Medicine


What is Recursion?


This idea is central to most of my practice. There are interesting definitions on the web. The one I like most is:

"If you do not understand recursion try one more time and maybe it will become clear."

Recursion has the flavour of repetition, but not quite. Every repeat action of a similar nature produces a slightly different result. We could use the word training but it lacks the essence of the process. Training may involve multiple tasks of a different nature while recursion is more iterative (repeat trials). There is a definite destination with recursion. The training in recursion involves similar moves repeated a number of times until a final stable result is obtained. As medicine and health is all about stability, recursion has an important role to play.

Recursion can be positive or negative depending on the inputs. (Nature is neutral).


Some Examples:


A bad habit is an example of a negative repetitive behaviour. Smoking or getting drunk are reasonable examples. If the behaviour changes under the influence of a thought such as "this is a bad habit" then possibly a recursion to a new behaviour can occur. Every time the action occurs it is slightly altered by the positive influence of "this is bad". Possibly there is no such influence and the habit remains stable and unaltered.


What about a poor sporting stroke, such as a swing in golf or raquet sport? Unless there is a convergent input to change the action the "slice" will continue. As the golf stroke changes under the influence of "keep your head down" (co-input), the action changes. Ultimately the input "keep your head down" becomes the part of a habitual convergent input leading to a new output (with a more satisfactory swing and outcome). The combined input may need to be "practised" until it becomes the new habit.


The essential ingredients of recursion are:



A good example is the expression "Just spinning your wheels". In this metaphor the lack of traction with the ground, (no co-input) leads to no progress. As the vehicle moves, new ground (additional co-input) progresses the vehicle. A turning wheel without ground interaction is truly repetitive.


Recursive behaviour resembles repetition but is fundamentally altered by a less obvious input. Subtly and sometimes irreversibly we change to a new position and behaviour more satisfactory to our lives.


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