Discovering Patterns through Reusability: From the Universe to Software

Introduction

We often think of reusability as a software term, but this principle runs through every corner of the universe. It enables us to understand, model, and transform our world. In this article, we’ll dive into how reusability and universal patterns intertwine in science, nature, and technology—realizing that the ability to spot patterns is at the root of learning and progress itself.

The Universe as a Stage for Patterns

Everything that exists, from gigantic galaxies down to the tiniest cells, is part of a vast hierarchy of entities and interacting systems. Our ability to grasp the universe starts with the senses—especially sight and hearing—which let us detect and measure physical signals like light and sound. Through observation and abstraction, we’ve turned these signals into units and standards that allow us to compare, analyze, and communicate reality.

For example, the human eye transforms different wavelengths into colors, and the ear converts waves into sound. To share, investigate, and build knowledge, humankind defined units of measurement such as seconds, meters, and kilograms—making science and technology replicable and reusable.

Units of Measurement: An Infinitely Reusable Universal Language

Basic units (second, meter, kilogram, kelvin, ampere, mole, candela) are the fundamental “building blocks” from which we construct more complex magnitudes. From these, we create derived units such as the newton (force) or the byte (computing). In music, we use the “beat,” in education a “credit,” and in economics, various currencies.

These hierarchical units provide universal patterns that apply to any phenomenon, letting us compare, predict, and advance scientific understanding. The International System of Units shows humanity’s capacity to repeatedly reuse models to discover regularities in different contexts.

This resource complements the section by showing how measurement standards make science reproducible and knowledge universally reusable. International System of Units – Wikipedia

Equality, Identity, and Models: The Essence of Patterns

Before we can recognize and reuse patterns, we have to distinguish between equality and identity. Two entities might be equal in many aspects (same features, same value in a scale), but each keeps its distinct identity and essence. The Ship of Theseus paradox teaches us that even if an object’s components change, its identity might persist… or not.

This concept is crucial when we model reality. A model is a simplification that captures the essentials of a system—whether an organism, a physical process, or a social phenomenon—and turns it into a structure we can study, share, and reuse. Reusability emerges as our ability to take these models and use them as references, templates, or patterns for similar challenges.

This resource expands the discussion of how models serve as reusable templates for scientific knowledge, supporting the article’s argument about abstraction and identity. Models in Science (Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy)

Reusability and Patterns: From Nature to Engineering

Reusability isn’t exclusive to software—not even to engineering. Nature has developed reusable solutions—like symmetry in leaves, fractals in ferns, or biochemical cycles—long before people ever did. The same leaf can serve as food, shelter, or support for many organisms, showing a practical, cross-cutting pattern for reuse.

Human creativity borrows this as well. The textile pattern lets us produce multiple garments; the mathematical model of a parabola lets us predict how any projectile will move. In software development, these same principles lead us to reusable components, clean architectures, and domain modeling that reflects reality, through approaches like Domain-Driven Design (DDD).

This article explains how design patterns serve as reusable micro-architectures in object-oriented programming, aligning universal principles with concrete software design practices. Design Patterns – Wikipedia

Why Should We Practice Pattern-Spotting?

Studying patterns means training your mind to see beyond specifics and focus on the regularities connecting seemingly unrelated phenomena. This practice fuels learning and problem-solving, and it sparks creativity and innovation, letting us scale solutions to ever-bigger challenges.

You can start flexing this mental muscle every day:

• Look for patterns in nature, your own routines, or everyday problems.
• Try abstracting the essential properties of any situation or challenge.
• Question identities and relationships between the objects, data, or concepts you work with.
• Read examples of models from other disciplines and reflect on how you could use their insight yourself.

Practice makes pattern recognition—and thus reusability—a core habit for anyone who wants to innovate rather than just repeat earlier solutions.

This resource provides a cognitive and technical view of pattern recognition, reinforcing how this ability drives learning, creativity, and problem-solving. Pattern recognition in computer science (ScienceDirect)

Conclusion

Reusability and pattern recognition are powerful tools for understanding, creating, and improving our environments. From the physical and biological universe to engineering and software, every efficient system is built on models and structures ready to be reused. Practicing these skills is what prepares us to anticipate challenges and design solutions with genuine, universal vision.

Credits

This article continues the reflection started in Professor Luis Fernández’s Recurrence in Software Development Course, for which I’m grateful to him for his clear way of explaining the fundamentals and his ability to connect theory with reality.