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  %RESEARCH FOR INTEGRATIVE OBJECTIVE RELATIONSHIPS 880106

     Human   knowledge   of   and   education    regarding
relationships differs according to the kind of objects and
relationships  which  are the focus of the  knowledge  and
education.

     Knowledge   regarding   objects   entails   objective
relationships   between   people   and   objects;    i.e.,
relationships  in  which dialogue between participants  in
the  relationship is not primarily  personal/reflexive  in
character.     The  interaction  between  participants  in
objective  relationship does not entail mutual  reflection
upon previous moments in the history of the relationship.

     Knowledge  regarding objects at the same time entails
self reflection on the part of the person;  but at a muted
level.    The objective person does not know of  any  self
reflection on the part of the object,  and usually assumes
that  self  reflection on the part of the objects  in  the
relationship  does  not exist.   Objective people tend  to
repress  reflection upon reflexive relationships,  and  so
tend to minimize their knowledge and education relating to
reflexive relationships.

     A  comprehensive  program of research must  entail  a
search for ways to integrate all kinds of knowledge into a
coherent  whole.   A  program of research which takes  for
granted  the  repression of knowledge regarding  reflexive
relationships  will  fail  to  develop  knowledge  into  a
coherent whole,  for reflexive relationships and knowledge
of  them  will remain outside the analysis  which  such  a
program will develop.

     Part  of  any  comprehensive  research  program  must
therefore  entail  the development of a knowledge  of  the
various   kinds   of   relationships   in   which   humans
participate.    Such  an understanding  and  knowledge  is
inherently  reflexive  in  that  it  reflects  upon  human
participation in relationships.  Reflexive knowledge tends
to  be repressed by people who are dedicated to compulsive
objectivity  as  the  way to transcend  bias.    Reflexive
knowledge  tends to be confused with confusion  by  people
who  do not have an integrative approach to the full range
of   human  relationships,   experiences,   knowledge  and
education.

     Knowledge flows from human participation;  apart from
human participation humans cannot know anything.  A theory
of  human knowledge which takes for granted that bias  can
be reduced by minimizing human participation (through  the
objectification of human relationships)  is a theory based
upon  the  repression  of  basic  truths  regarding  human
participation  in  knowledgeable  relationships.     Human
knowledge  will  not  be  complete until  it  includes  an
adequate  theory  in  terms of which  to  understand  such
patterns  of  objectification,   and  what  motivates  the
objectification process and the associated alienation from
integrative knowledge.

     The process of creating and preserving knowledge is a
social  process  which  entails  many  interactions  among
people.   Knowledge which is developed in isolation by one
person is not real human knowledge unless it becomes  part
of a social process of humans participating in integrative
relationships.  How durable any knowledge is, depends upon
how  thoroughly  it is integrated into the fabric  of  the
society.    A  group of specialists who are alienated from
the  rest  of society,  cannot develop  durable  knowledge
while  so alienated;  the fruits of their labors will  die
with  them.    Thus the process of research and  education
must be a socially integrative process in order for it  to
succeed.    This  means that the process of  research  and
education  must be reflexive to succeed,  and any tendency
to avoid reflexivity with pride is likely to undermine the
venture.

     A  successful  research and educational program  must
work  with integrative reflexivity which is based  upon  a
coherent  understanding of the nature of human  realities,
relationships,  experiences, knowledge and education;  for
all  of these are essentials in human  knowledge.    Apart
from them there can be no knowledge and no consensus as to
what  is  true  and  worthy  of  interest  and  attention.
Research  and  education entail affirmations  of  what  is
worthy of interest and attention, and decisions that other
possible foci of interest and attention are not as worthy.
A  failure to make those decisions openly and honestly  is
likely  to  lead  to  confusion  and  disintegration,   as
decisions become successively more and more biased through
the repression of consciousness of reflexive realities, in
preference for compulsively objective relationships devoid
of  honest  human  dialogue.   Honest  human  dialogue  is
essential to robust knowledge and education.  Honest human
dialogue cannot be compulsively objective.    Compulsively
objective  people  can not be integrative researchers  who
contribute  with personal integrity to robust knowledge in
a coherent way.
                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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