Recursive Minds in a Non‑Recursive World: A Structural and Geometric Framework for Understanding Autism, Cognition, and System Mismatch

Abstract

This monograph presents a structural and geometric hypothesis on autism, cognition, and the architecture of modern systems. It proposes that many autistic experiences can be understood as the friction between recursive minds—those built on loops, layers, and deep patterning—and non-recursive environments optimised for linear logic, shallow metrics, and rapid compliance. Rather than framing autism as deficit or disorder, this work examines the geometry of cognitive experience and the geometry of the systems autistic people are forced to inhabit. It argues that much of the distress associated with autism arises not from the mind itself, but from a mismatch between cognitive structure and environmental structure. The document includes:• A full theoretical framework • A detailed compendium of terminology, structural laws, analogies, and research pathways • A diagram appendix (text-based) • An author’s note grounding the theory in lived experience This work is intended as a conceptual foundation for future research, system redesign, and deeper understanding of neurodiversity through the lens of geometry, recursion, and environmental alignment. Keywords / Subjects: autism; neurodiversity; cognitive geometry; recursive cognition; system mismatch; structural epistemology; cognitive science; theoretical neuroscience; developmental psychology; human–system interaction; environmental perturbation; deep work; non-recursive systems; technology and cognition; sensory processing; social cognition; cognitive field stability; geometry of mind; recursive systems theory; conceptual frameworks; cognitive mismatch; neurodevelopment; human factors; systems design; educational systems; workplace cognition; digital environments; cognitive load; pattern-based cognition; structural analysis; cognitive architecture; recursion in cognition; cognitive phenomenology; cognitive stability; cognitive environments; theoretical models of autism. This work is dedicated to my nephews — brilliant, struggling, recursive minds navigating a world that often refuses to speak their geometry. They may face friction, confusion, and moments where things dont make sense, but they will always have Uncle Matt in their corner, mapping the structure with them. Contact: For enquiries or research questions related to this work, email matthewcarlo.research@gmail.com