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%OBJECTIVE REFLEXIVE KNOWLEDGE CONFORMAL SYSTEM SCI 911214

     Objective    knowledge   is   essentially   conformal
knowledge.   If a large number of people do not agree that
some  reality  is  an objective reality,   it  is  not  an
objective reality.  Objective knowledge entails conformity
by a large number of people to one way of viewing reality.
An objective "reality" upon which very few people agree is
only a hypothetically "real" objective "reality";  even if
at  a later time in history agreement is reached that  the
"reality"  is in fact authentic in a way which  transcends
purely subjective considerations.

     Objective   knowledge  entails  conformity  to   some
systematic way of knowing;  a  way which is disciplined in
accordance  with  some  systematic  way  of   transcending
subjective  bias.    Objective knowledge is not  merely  a
collection of subjective opinions;  it must be grounded in
procedures  which transcend merely subjective  perceptions
which are not rooted in external realities.

     People who value objective knowledge to the exclusion
of  valuing reflexive knowledge are prone to  fear  truths
about themselves which are embarrassing;  for they do  not
know  how  to  deal with reflexive  knowledge  which  they
regard  as of inferior quality to objective knowledge upon
which  conformal agreement has been reached.   Such people
seek  conformity with regard to views regarding  reflexive
truths;  and conform in the view that reflexive truths are
not reliable.

     We  need  to  learn how to gracefully deal  with  the
truths  about ourselves and about others,  truths which we
have often found to be embarrassing.   Only when we can so
cope  can  we hope to be free to know those  truths  which
embarrass us now.

     It  is dangerous to take for granted that we want  to
know the truth,  that we want to avoid deception.  We need
to  recognize how often we want deception, so as to  avoid
the truths which we do not know how to deal with.

     These  considerations are important in any effort  to
find  ways  to promote creativity in the sciences  and  in
science  education;  for creativity in such  instances  is
undermined  by  any  failure to  integrate  objective  and
reflexive considerations.

                                                                                                                               
                         (c) 2005 by Paul A. Smith in      
                    (On Being Yourself, Whole and Healthy)  
                                                                                                                               
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