16 April 2004 | Draft
Distinguishing Emergent Conceptual Polarities
experimental ordering of a collection of research papers
-- / --
| Introduction | |
| Diversity -- Unity Agreement -- Disagreement Organization -- Chaos Configuration -- Relationships Strategy -- Lifestyle Static -- Dynamic Conventional -- Radical |
Future -- Present Global -- Personal Information systems -- Communication Comprehension -- Incomprehension Facts -- Aesthetics Balance -- Imbalance Problems -- Potential |
| Comment | |
Introduction
The following exercise in thinking about thinking is an effort to identify a higher degree of order in the set of papers produced by the author in the period from 1962-2004 (as discussed separately in Self-reflexive Learnings from Writing, 2004). The focus here is on the set of value polarities which they may implicitly address -- and how that set could be configured. The further implications are explored below, and separately (Configuring Conceptual Polarities in Questing: metaphoric pointers to self-reflexive coherence, 2004).
For each polarity tentatively identified polarity below, a selection of papers is given. These may be directly accessed, except where the year is followed by an asterisk (when only the bibliographic reference is accessible).
Polarity: diversity-unity
| Diversity (variety) -- Unity (synthesis, integration, coherence) |
| Diversity: Reflected in the author's
construction and maintenance of large data
sets on every field of human activity (whether international organizations,
world problems, human values, human development, etc) notably for the Yearbook
of International Organizations and the Encyclopedia
of World Problems and Human Potential. Also present are a number of papers concerned with the range of types of strategy (1995, 1998), dialogue (1998), organization (IGO, NGO, all), transdisciplinarity, values, roles (1997), etc. |
| Unity: Reflected in many papers concerned with synthesis (1968, 1997, 2000) , integrative concepts, transdisciplinarity, dialogue (1996, 2000) , and ways of articulating unity (1991) and coherence (***). The institution where much of this work was done bears a title (Union of International Associations) which raises interesting questions about the nature of any "union" to be discovered between any form of "association", whether conceptual or otherwise (see Union of International Associations -- Virtual Organization, 2001). An early concern has been broadening understandings of unity (Liberation of Integration through pattern, oscillation, harmony and embodiment, 1980) |
Polarity: agreement-disagreement
| Agreement (harmony, consensus) -- Disagreement (discord, difference, dissent, dilemmas, polarization) |
| Disagreement: Corresponding to the
focus on diversity (above), has been a concern
with the strong identifications in society with elements of that variety,
resulting in radical disagreement in any form of dialogue or collective
action. The challenge of working with the reality of that disagreement,
rather than aspiring towards agreement, has been the focus of dialogue-related
papers (1981, 1992, 1998, 2001). A particular interest has been patterning of disagreement (1986) and dilemmas (Configuring Strategic Dilemmas in Intersectoral Dialogue, 1992; Inter-personal Dilemmas of Participation in a Sustainable Inter-sectoral Meeting, 1994) and their mapping (1992). |
| Agreement: Corresponding to the
focus on unity (above), has been a concern with
richer and subtler ways of articulating agreement and consensus (1991, 1995),
notably faced with tendencies towards polarized thinking. A particular interest is the dynamics (see below) of the relation of agreement to the alternation between opposing perspectives, notably through cycles (Cycles of dissonance and resonance, 1995). Also of interest has been the possible emergence of higher orders of meaning and consensus (Sustaining Higher Orders of Policy Consensus through Metaphor: towards a new language of governance, 1992) |
Polarity: organization-chaos
| Organization (systems, order) -- Chaos (complexity, asystemic) |
| Organization: Matching the concerns
with unity/synthesis and agreement, has been a concern with articulation
of frameworks through which action may be conceived or undertaken, whether
conventional (1995),
alternative (1974, 1979, 1994),
community-based (1998, 1998, 2003),
or conceptual (1983, 1994, 1996, 2001),
notably in non-western cultures (1984)
-- and the challenges of their design (1978). The concern with variety has been matched by a corresponding interest in typology (**) classification (see Functional Classification in an Integrative Matrix of Human Preoccupations, 1982) and knowledge organization.(**). A particular interest has been the possibilities beyond networks (1973, 1977, 1979), and networking alternation (1983), of tensegrity ("tensional integrity") structures (1978, 1979, 1984). |
| Chaos: The concern with diversity and disagreement (above) has been matched with a concern with complexity (1977*) , its comprehension (1991, 1994) and its navigation (see Envisaging the Art of Navigating Conceptual Complexity: in search of software combining artistic and conceptual insights, 1995). This has been seen as contrasting with the dangerous ease of thinking and acting in terms of more simplistic understandings of organization. |
Polarity: configuration-relationships
Polarity: strategy-lifestyle
| Strategy (management, doing) -- Lifestyle (community, being) |
| Strategy: The development of a database
of strategy profiles has been undertaken for two editions of the Encyclopedia
of World Problems and Human Potential (1986, 1995). An early and continuing concern has been the use, by networks of organizations, of information (Need for a World Management Information Network, 1969; 1969; 1999) in support of collective strategy and action plans (Strategic Correspondences: computer-aided insight scaffolding, 1995; Computer representation of strategy networks, 1995; Computer-assisted generation of strategies, 1995; Missiles, Missives, Missions and Memetic Warfare: Navigation of strategic interfaces in multidimensional knowledge space, 2001) -- as well as how to move beyond its constraints (Coherent Policy-making Beyond the Information Barrier, 1999), notably through recognizing the variety of decision-making styles (1994). This focus included use of management games (1967) , the possibility of planetary management (Managing Planetary Management, 1973), indicative case studies (1969), network organization strategy (1976*, 1995), action against it (Anti-networking strategies, 1978) and the simulation of a "global brain" (2001). Strategic deficiencies have been a particular focus (International Organizations and the Generation of the Will to Change, 1970; Discrimination and Fragmentation in the 1970s: the UN's System's Ivory Tower Strategy, 1971). The challenges to imagination (1994) focused attention on the role of metaphor (Innovative Global Management through Metaphor, 1989; Future Coping Strategies: Beyond the constraints of proprietary metaphors, 1992; Strategic metaphors for thriving, 1995), especially with respect to management in developing cultures (Knowledge Gardening through Music: patterns of coherence for future African management as an alternative to Project Logic, 2000) and transcending strategic dilemmas (Configuring Strategic Dilemmas in Intersectoral Dialogue, 1992) through emphasis on their configuration (2003) and complementarity (1995, 1998), the advantages of avoiding military metaphor (1998), as well as the role of "negative" strategies (1995). The strategic role of denial (1995), non-decision-making (1997), "truth-handling" (2003), the "unsaid" (2003), and "terrorism" have been a recent focus (Promoting a Singular Global Threat -- Terrorism: Strategy of choice for world governance, 2002; Backside to the Future: coherence and conflation of dominant strategic metaphors, 2003) as well as the limitations of civil alternatives (Global Civil Society: strategic comments on the path ahead, 2003). From a news management perspective, some of these strategic issues were highlighted in matching "briefings" for the Messiah (1999) and Satan (1999). |
| Lifestyle: In contrast
to the "project logic" (2000)
of the strategic focus, there has also been a continuing concern with
lifestyles (1977),
their design (1978),
their comprehension (1997),
their support (Facilitating
Community through Information: suite of software-enabled participation
tools, 1996; Product
/ Service Substitution Database: Proposal in support of sustainable lifestyles,
1999) and their dynamics (Being
Other Wise: dynamics of a meaningfully sustainable lifestyle,
1998; 1983),
notably in relation to the future of work (Being
Employed by the Future: reframing the immediate challenge of sustainable
community, 1996; 1996)
and the challenge of change (Individual
Inability to Initiate Personal Lifestyle, 1977). These concerns have been explored in relation to the challenge of alternative communities (1975, 1978, 1996, 1997), sustaining their emergence in networks (Transnational network of research and service communities: organizational hybrid, 1976), their need for requisite variety (Living Differences as a basis for Sustainable Community: Designing a difference engine, 1998; 1998; Boundaries of Sustainability in Community-Oriented Organizations, 1998), the need for dialogue to sustain community (1995), participant roles (1997), and the possible psychological dimensions of future communities (Gardening Sustainable Psycommunities: Recognizing the psycho-social integrities of the future, 1995). These dimensions have highlighted the need to shift to a dynamic understanding of community (From Statics to Dynamics in Sustainable Community, 1998). The implications of several case studies have also been explored (Challenges to Learning from the Swadhyaya Movement, 1995; Collective strategy-making: designing a strategic array, 1995; Renaissance Zones: experimenting with the intentional significance of the Damanhur community, 2003), as well as the possibility of a learning exchange between them (1998). |
Polarity: static-dynamic
| Static -- Dynamic (alternation) |
| Static: Given the nature of conventional
thinking and its application to conventional policy-making and social organization,
much of the work focus has been on static categories and static organizations
(as suggested by the "statutes" through which they are governed).
Many of the reference works produced (such as Yearbook
of International Organizations and the Encyclopedia
of World Problems and Human Potential) correspond to the stereotype
of "state of the world". Aside from the focus on organization (above), this also involved concern with the legal status of international non-governmental organizations (see Legal status of international NGOs: overview and options, 1996; 1988) and collection of their statutes (1988). A related focus has been Misapplication of International Legal Norms in Socially Abnormal Situations (1994). |
| Dynamic: In a turbulent complex environment,
one focus has been on the challenge of shifting from a static perspective
(as in "nation states" and "state of the world") to
a more dynamic perspective (see Toward
an enantiomorphic policy, 1995; From
Statics to Dynamics in Sustainable Community, 1998), whether in
terms of system dynamics (1995),
psychodynamics (World
Dynamics and Psychodynamics, 1971), partnerships for change (1993),
organizations (1993),
or meetings (1975). A particular approach has been the challenge for lifestyles (see Being Other Wise: dynamics of a meaningfully sustainable lifestyle, 1998) and navigation (see Navigating Alternative Conceptual Realities: clues to the dynamics of enacting new paradigms through movement, 2002). Also of concern has been the dynamics of the metaphors through which new forms of comprehension become viable (1993*), notably in conference dynamics (1988) and collective identity (1991, 1991, 1991) . Alternation amongst complementary conditions has been seen as a means of ensuring the sustainability of alternatives ( Networking Alternation, 1983; Policy Alternation for Development, 1984; 1984; 1985; 1991; Alternation between complementary policy conditions, 1994; Warp and Weft: Governance through Alternation, 2002). Other approaches include various conceptual de-patterning devices (1974). |
Polarity: conventional-radical
Polarity: future-present
| Future -- Present |
| Future: Explorations have been particularly
influenced by the discipline of futures studies which has provided a context,
thanks to Mankind 2000, for the preparation of the Encyclopedia
of World Problems and Human Potential, 1976, 1986, 1991, 1995).
The thematic opportunities of the conferences of the World
Futures Studies Federation, have provided a focus for a number of papers
(World Problem
Networks as perceived by international organization networks, 1976; Development:
beyond "science" to "wisdom", 1979; Metaphoric
revolution; in quest of a manifesto for governance through metaphor,
1988; Aesthetics
of governance...in the year 2491, 1990; Participative
Democracy vs. Participative Drama, 1991; Metaphor
as an Unexplored Catalytic Language for Global Governance, 1993; Future
generation through global conversation, 1997). A particular concern has been the role of metaphor in articulating, and constraining, future opportunities (Metaphor and the Language of Futures, 1992, 1994; The Future of Leadership: reframing the unknown, 1994; Richer Metaphors for Our Future Survival, 1996). The metaphoric approach to futures is consistent with a radical perspective (noted earlier). |
| Present: This contrast to the futures
perspective (above) has been the subject of explorations
of the integration of the future into the present (Presenting
the Future, 2001), whether in terms of composing and engendering
the present (2001),
present research (2001),
or thriving in the moment (2001). Such investigations are associated with the possibility of radica approaches to understanding of time, whether by alternative communities (Embodying a Timeship vs. Empowering a Spaceship, 2003), from a mytho-poetic (2002) or purely speculative perspective (People as Stargates, 1996), or as constrained by metaphor (Metaphoric entrapment in time, 2000), or as a strategic opportunity for individuals (The Isdom of the Wisdom Society: Embodying time as the heartland of humanity, 2003). From a more mundane perspective, the challenge of time management in conferences has also been a concern (1994). |
Polarity: global-personal
| Global (collective, governance) -- Personal (individual, subjective, embodiment) |
| Global: In contrast to the long-term
focus on "international" and "world" forms of organization,
the focus on "global" forms has suggested a degree of conceptual
integration and coherence obscured by the conventional preoccupation with
trade-related issues (see Global
modelling perspective, 1991; Globalization
of Knowledge and Insight, 1997; Future
Generation through Global Conversation, 1997; Global
Civil Society: strategic comments on the path ahead. 2003) as well
as the potential for its manipulation (see Discrimination
and Fragmentation in the 1970s: an organized response to global crisis,
1971; Category
Manipulation in Global Dialogue, 2000; Globalization
within a Global Potemkin Society, 2000; Promoting
a Singular Global Threat -- Terrorism: Strategy of choice for world governance,
2002; Globalization
of Death: checklist. 2003; Global
Strategic Implications of the Unsaid: from myth-making to a wisdom society,
2003). Associated with the question of complexity and emergent order has been the possibility of global self-organization (Configuring Globally and Contending Locally: shaping the global network of local bargains, 1992; Spherical configuration of interlocking roundtables: Internet enhancement of global self-organization through patterns of dialogue, 1998; 1998) and the design perspective required for innovative global management (1989). A particular concern has been global governance (Metaphor as a Language for Global Governance, 1993; Four Complementary Languages Required for Global Governance, 1998) and the constraints on its development ((Tank-thoughts from Think-tanks: constraining metaphors on developing global governance, 2003; 12 Complementary Languages for Sustainable Governance, 2003). Global community, its learning capacity (1980, 1981, 1982), and its sustainability through dialogue, has also been a preoccupation (1995) as has the role of global information systems (Need for a World Management Information System to Assist Initiation and Coordination of Global Development Programmes, 1969; Songlines of the Noosphere: global configuration of hypertext pathways, 1996; Simulating a Global Brain: using networks of international organizations, world problems, strategies, and values, 2001) |
| Personal: The development of a database
of approaches to human development, including modes of awareness, has been
a central theme of the Encyclopedia
of World Problems and Human Potential (1976, 1986, 1991, 1995; commentaries),
as have their interaction (1979),
their phases (1991),
and their relevance (1991),
notably as an existential challenge (1991). The variety of approaches, and the challenge of typologies of human relationships (1978), have also been a focus. Such development is seen as an objective of many strategies -- whose obstruction was perceived as a source of many world problems (see From Apartheid to Schizophrenia: the logic of depersonalized separate development, 1971) and the movement of meaning in governance (1994). Its preoccupations were prefigured in an experiment (Universal Declaration of the Rights of Human Organization: an experimental extension of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, 1971), subsequently repeated (Convention on the Rights of the Child Within, 1997). Constraints on that development have been explored (Limits to Human Potential, 1976), notably in relation to the challenge of internalizing discontinuity (1995), to personal globalization (2001) and to lifestyle change (1977) -- and to the creation of facilitative environments (1975*), especially for dialogue (1984). The challenge of the problematic relationship between leaders has also been considered (1998). A related concern has been technical approaches to augmenting human intellect (1994) and the quality of dialogue (2001) -- as well the role of metaphor in such enhancement (Enhancing the Quality of Knowing through Integration of East-West metaphors, 2000). The human development theme is intimately related to that of human values as the focus of a complementary dataset in the Encylopedia, notably the function of values as "attractors" for such development (Human Values as Strange Attractors: Coevolution of classes of governance principles, 1993). Both themes converge in concerns relating to wisdom (Development beyond Science to Wisdom, 1979; The Isdom of the Wisdom Society: Embodying time as the heartland of humanity, 2003), authenticity (Evoking Authenticity: through polyhedral global configuration of local paradoxes, 2003) and future human development (Authentic Grokking: Emergence of Homo conjugens, 2003) |
Polarity: information-communication
Polarity: comprehension-incomprehension
Polarity: facts-aesthetics
Polarity: balance-imbalance
Polarity: problems-potential
| Problems (negatives, bias, criticism, denial) -- Potential (positives, appreciation) |
| Problems: Associated with the interest
in disagreement (see above), there has been a long-term
commitment to work with problematic materials, initially in the form of
the documentation of "world problems" perceived by international
constituencies (see Encyclopedia
of World Problems and Human Potential, 1976, 1995). This extended
into work on the strategies deployed in response to such problems, notably
in the light of fundamental strategic dilemmas (1995)
and the possibility of configuring opposing strategic initiatives in fruitful
ways (1992). This critical perspective has also been deployed in response to uncritical perspectives (Limits to Human Potential, 1976; NGOs and Civil Society: Realities and Distortions, 1994; Transdisciplinarity through Structured Dialogue: Beyond sterile dualities in meetings to the challenge of participant impotence, 1994; Misappropriation of words of power, 1995; Interacting Fruitfully with Un-Civil Society: the dilemma for non-civil society organizations, 1996; Distorted Understandings of Synthesis: Reconfiguring the challenge of wholeness, 1997; Undermining Open Civil Society: Reinforcing unsustainable restrictive initiatives, 1999; Arming Civil Society Worldwide, 2003; Global Civil Society: strategic comments on the path ahead, 2003). A particular concern has been conceptual manipulation and definitional game-playing (Language Games, 1995) and the constraints of bias (Anti-Developmental Biases in Thesaurus Design, 1981). As noted above, this perspective gave rise to sessions of an International School of Ignorance (1996) over a period of years (198-1998 *?), to concern with the "unsaid" and to a highly critical approach to the evidence associated with "terrorism" and how it is conceived. |
| Potential: The Encyclopedia
of World Problems and Human Potential was deliberately designed
to offset the documentation of "problems" by information
on the variety of dimensions of human potential (1991),
to build a relationship between them (Phases
of human development through challenging problems, 1991), and
to demonstrate its relevance (1991). A related concern has been with how external problems are embodied (Liberation of Integration through pattern, oscillation, harmony and embodiment, 1980; Embodiment in patterns of alternation, 1991; Personal Globalization, 2001; Embodying the Sphere of Change, 2001; Psychology of Sustainability: Embodying cyclic environmental processes, 2002; My Reflecting Mirror World: making Joburg worthwhile, 2002). A distinct approach has been a form of appreciative inquiry into the potential represented by various collective alternative initiatives (Challenges to Learning from the Swadhyaya Movement, 1995; Gardening Sustainable Psycommunities: Recognizing the psycho-social integrities of the future, 1995; Dancing through Interfaces and Paradoxes: group alchemy, 1997; Renaissance Zones: experimenting with the intentional significance of the Damanhur community, 2003) and the high-tech global extreme (Simulating a Global Brain: using networks of international organizations, world problems, strategies, and values, 2001). The potential in the personal development of the individual (see personal above) has also been explored (see notably Authentic Grokking: Emergence of Homo conjugens, 2003) |
Comment
Reflection on the themes repeatedly explored at different times in the collection of papers on this site suggests that they might be usefully clustered in terms of particular polarities (rather than in terms of the 35 themes on the website menu). This approach is somewhat consistent with that used by W T Jones (The Romantic Syndrome: Toward a New Method in Cultural Anthropology and History of Ideas. 1961) and discussed elsewhere. As mentioned in the papers, the emphasis on polarities has also been developed in relation to tensegrity (Transcending Duality through Tensional Integrity, 1978; Implementing Principles by Balancing Configurations of Functions, 1979), value polarities (1991), and strategic dilemmas (1992, 1995), including their mapping (1992). Each of the polar topics above effectively describes, a particular journey that interweaves with others. For that reason, some items may be listed under more than one polarity.
The approach is seen as suggesting a methodology that could be applied to other bodies of work. In a separate paper (Configuring Conceptual Polarities in Questing: metaphoric pointers to self-reflexive coherence, 2004) the set of polarities is then explored, as a challenge to comprehension, through a set of complementary metaphors that may usefully point to the nature of that higher order. The metaphors are then used to clarify the nature and intent of the writing process itself.
A previous attempt to configure the above papers explored use of concentric circles divided into sectors (In Search of Transformational Pathways: bibliography of studies conducted from 1962 to 1981 under the auspices of the UIA and Mankind 2000, 1981).
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