apophenia

[prettygoodword]

apophenia - n., the perception of or belief in connections between unrelated phenomena.


Finding patterns in random data. In the question of coincidence or conspiracy, the latter wins every time to someone with apophenia, though it is not necessarily a symptom of abnormality. Coined in 1958 by Klaus Conrad from Greek roots.

---L.

Comments

[asakiyume.livejournal.com]

Wow, a word for the thing I love to do--it doesn't necessarily have to be conspiracy one sees, of course. Perceiving a connection between unrelated phenomena doesn't necessarily even imply intentionality behind the connection, let alone negative intentionality.

a po phenia. I wonder if I can remember it past today...