ABSTRACT
In this paper, I propose a generative theory of cognitive judgments and discuss a general theory of pattern cognition. I first discuss transformations because cognitive transformation is considered to be the main tool with which people perceive not only the interrelational structure of the configurations (related to similarity judgment) but also the infrastructure of a single configuration (related to goodness judgment). Then, I propose my revised version of The Transformational Structure Theory of both similarity judgment and goodness judgment. Here, I derive my theory from two principles and two standards. The two principles state that there is correspondence between cognitive structure and cognitive judgment, and that structural cognition is a prerequisite for any judgment. The principles, however, do not specify how to map cognitive judgment to cognitive structure. This is done by the two standards. These principles and standards essentially state that cognitive judgments must be generated so as to conform to the hierarchical order of the transformational structure. In other words, my theory is a generative theory of cognitive judgment of patterns. As it is, my theory will lead to the general theory of pattern cognition. In this paper I try to show my own steps in this research direction. To start, I propose a cognitive definition of pattern. On the basis of this definition I discuss multiple cognitions of pattern and its creative nature, and, in addition, the world cognition related to the definition of pattern.
