A Basis of Understanding Phenomena

When we approach trying to understand anything, we bring to that process a lot of givens. These givens are not necessarily in the sense of a myth. They are assumptions and presuppositions that we don't question and tend to take for granted. An example of this is the notice of justice. We have a sense that justice should be the same for everyone. There is a presupposition of uniformity and equality in that notion. Is that notion, in part, derived from the industrial revolution meme of uniformity and replicability? This fairness/equality notion of justice is in one sense very unnatural. There is little uniformity in nature. Nature is chaotic and complex. The uniformity that we achieve is through extraordinary means with our technology and tools. In the larger sense this is quite natural as we are part of nature. From another perspective, this notion of fairness/equality in justice is rather unfair as it does not (and perhaps cannot) take into account the full complexity of the circumstances but applies an industrial model of uniformity to circumstances that are not unique. This can be seen as a great injustice.

In the process of understanding we can continue to uncover these assumptions / givens in our models. This uncovering can lend greater insight into the understanding of phenomena. For example, in the models we have in various disciplines from physics to the social sciences, what tends to be left out is that character and properties of the modeler. We have limited capabilities of handling complex systems. The way our perceptual systems work, we

• tend to favor one modality (sense system)
  
• can handle a very small number of variables simultaneously
• don't sense the implications of the dynamic interactions of these variables
• are limited in our capability to deal with non-linearity and chaos
• are influenced by our affect circuits - loyalty to a model or a person, ...

Yet these models and theories are presented as "absolute" in part because another property we have is a limit to the creative tension our neurologies can maintain in not selecting a final answer to give us direction.

Types of Intelligence

There are notions about different types of intelligence. The distinction of intelligence has grown from a single generalized characteristic to finer distinctions. Gardner's notion of multiple intelligences is an example. Another example is the notion of lines of development in Wilber's Integral Theory.

I suggest a more basic structural way of looking at the notion of intelligence. This space / time we inhabit requires a certain degree of capability for survival / viability / longevity / ... From this perspective there are at least three basic forms of intelligence and combinations and mixtures of them. One intelligence is how well we understand and deal with space. This is manifested in how well we can maneuver in space - not just with our bodies but also with our minds. We use space as a way of creating geometries of understanding phenomena, artifacts, ... There is also entity intelligence. In this space / time we inhabit, there are entities with various characteristics. How well we can understand, utilize, ecologize with these entities is a form of intelligence. Then there is time intelligence. How well do we understand time. When we see entities in this space we inhabit, we have a time sense of how things will change. How what we do will affect this unfolding of which we are a part. The implications of relationships and actions through time is an aspect of time intelligence. Here is an example of time intelligence.

A Beginning

The notion of Practicing Philosopher is from a science fiction story whose name and author are now forgotten by an aging mind. Here is a paraphrased synopsis of the story line.

If you are being chased by green demons and you go to a psychiatrist, she will try to help you by relating these delusions to your past experiences and help you try to overcome these delusions. If you go to a priest, she will try and exorcise these demons for you. If you go to a practicing philosopher, she will pick up a stick and help you chase these demons away.

The first time I read this story, the notion of a practicing philosopher really appealed to me at level that I can't begin to articulate. It struck me as a deeply compassionate act. This is a level of compassion that I aspire to but have not achieved. This is the level of compassion of an awakened mind, imho.