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  %PUZZLE PARADOX DICHOTOMY DILEMMA TRAGIC QUESTION 941219

     Given  how important reflexive honesty about self and
others  is to the development and maintenance of  personal
and communal integrity---it is a puzzle why so many people
avoid  reflexive honesty about self and others.   By  what
kind of reasoning does it make sense to be dishonest about
one's  own  and other people's personal  experiences?   Is
there  some  paradigm,   way  of  thinking,   or  set   of
assumptions---according  to which it is reasonable  to  be
dishonest  about  one's  own and other  people's  personal
experiences?

     The  development  of  the scientific  revolution  has
entailed placing  a  steadily  increasing amount of  value
upon  an  ideal  of  objectivity  which  is  founded  upon
detachment of the observer/judge  from   the   objects  of
observation,     measurement,    computation,    analysis,
understanding, prediction, manipulation, and judgment.

     Science,   technology and their fruits are impossible
in the absence  of  placing a great deal of value upon the
ideal of objectivity which  is founded upon detachment  of
the   observer/judge  from  the  object  of   observation,
measurement,    computation,   analysis,    understanding,
prediction, manipulation, and judgment.

     It  is reasonable for people who are  predisposed  to
the  manipulation  and control of objects  to  become  the
leaders in the development  of the scientific/technocratic
revolution.    Their successes and reputations depend upon
detaching themselves  from  their  object  of observation,
measurement,    computation,   analysis,    understanding,
prediction,  manipulation, and judgment. It is natural for
them   to adopt attitudes of ownership of objects  and  to
feel  free  to  do  with  their  objects  whatever   seems
reasonable within their paradigm of objective detachment.

     Within   the  highly  developed   and   sophisticated
paradigm  of objective detachment---it seems reasonable to
regard  with  skepticism,   doubt,   and  disrespect   any
insights,  perceptions  and  articulations which  are  not
based upon objective detachment of the observer/judge from
the  object of consideration.   Thus there have  developed
communities  of respected scientists/technocrats for  whom
it   is  taboo  to  be  honestly  involved  in   reflexive
consideration of themselves  and/or of those  nearest  and
dearest  to them.   To admit to such reflexive involvement
is  to  fail to  value the ideal of objectivity  which  is
founded upon detachment of  the  observer/judge  from  the
object of observation, measurement, computation, analysis,
understanding, prediction,   manipulation,   and judgment.
Thus  it  is important to be dishonest about all reflexive
behaviors---including  the  reflexive  behavior of placing
great value upon the ideals of objectivity.

     Thoughtless  acceptance of the ideals of  objectivity
put objectively inclined people in double binds.  They are
often  insecure people who have had childhoods which  were
emotionally poor, if not emotionally impoverished.    They
seek  to  achieve security through  the  manipulations  of
objects and of people treated as objects.   They cannot be
honest  about their reflexive emotions---for being  honest
about  their  reflexive emotions would poke a hole in  the
solid  dam  which protects the objective paradigm  from  a
flood of emotions which objectivists cannot control.  Thus
the  dam  must be built higher and thicker to  prevent the
flood waters of  uncontrollable emotions from flooding the
flat plane of objectivity.

     Objectivists often regard their plane of  objectivity
to  be  a  high plateau which is above the lowlands  where
there is biased subjectivity.   Because of their emotional
insecurity compulsive objectivists  cannot be honest  with
themselves or others who differ with them. They cannot see
their biases  due to their compulsive neglect of reflexive
considerations  and  perceptions.     They  are trapped in
double binds of dichotomous pseudo-thinking.

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