This is http://www.essayz.com/a9502252.htm         
Previous-Essay      <== This-Essay ==>     Following-Essay
Click HERE on this line to find essays via Your-Key-Words.
{Most frequent wordstarts of each essay will be put here.}
==========================================================
 %SAVE THEORY DATA HYPOTHESIS BELIEF CONVICTION SIN+950225
%DOCTRINE SCRIPTURES DEVIL CHURCH ORGANIZATION FAIL 950225

     In  the objective quantitative natural sciences it is
common   to  work  to  get  theoretical   structures   and
experimental  data to be consistent with each other.  When
consistency is not present, efforts are made to adjust the
theoretical   structures   and/or  the  data  to   achieve
consistency.     Hypotheses   are  modified,   made   more
sophisticated, simplified,   discarded,   etc.     Data is
analyzed,   mathematically  transformed   to  "equivalent"
representations,  and screened for anomalous bits of  data
due to mistakes or malfunctioning equipment.   The goal is
to achieve consistency between the ultimate theory and the
objective data.    Theoretical and experimental  "filters"
are  operative so unsatisfactory hypotheses and  data  are
"filtered"  out and  excluded for sustained consideration.
It  is  generally recognized  by  practicing  quantitative
scientists  that  it is normal  to  encounter  "mistakes",
recognize   them,    and  exclude   them   for   sustained
consideration.

     We encounter some very significant difficulties  when
we  attempt  to  transfer the OBJECTIVE  paradigm  of  the
natural  sciences  into  the  REFLEXIVE  realms of seeking
to  UNDERSTAND,  MANIPULATE AND CONTROL:  human  thoughts,
feelings,  desires,  experiences, perceptions, beliefs and
convictions.    The OBJECTIVE PARADIGM is characterized by
how it places  great  value and  emphasis upon detachment,
enumeration,    measurement,    manipulations,   controls,
computations, mathematics, statistics, consensus, etc.

     The scientists who are engaged in trying to  transfer
the  OBJECTIVE  paradigm  of  the  natural  sciences  into
REFLEXIVE realms rarely  are fully aware  of how their own
thoughts,  feelings,  desires,  experiences,  perceptions,
beliefs  and  convictions  are influenced by   their   own
tacit reflections  upon their own possibilities of success
or failure,  honor or dishonor,  acceptance  or rejection,
fellowship or alienation, integration or disintegration.

     In   the   reflexive  realms  of  consideration   the
processes which often occur in trying to achieve coherence
between  theories and data---are processes which  are  far
more likely  to entail excessive selectivity, exclusivity,
and outright dishonesty---than in the  objective realms of
consideration.  Consider the following possibilities:

     1.  The  conversion  of  descriptive  theories  about
healthy human  behavior  into  coercive  expectations  and
prescriptions which say how humans should behave.

     2.  Instituting  formal  and  informal  patterns   of
behavior   (laws,   rules,   regulations,   prescriptions,
prohibitions,  moral codes, ethical codes, etc.)  intended
to  "encourage"   proper thoughts,  emotions,   attitudes,
desires, decisions, actions and patterns of behavior;  and
to discourage improper ones.

     3.  Focusing  upon  only the most  obvious  signs  of
propriety  and  impropriety---in  order to make it  appear
that  conformity  to expectations is occurring,  and  that
coherence  between  prescriptive theories  and real  human
patterns has been achieved.

     4.  Being concerned only  with objective  appearances
and being little concerned  with reflexive  reality---as a
way  to achieve apparent coherence;  when the prescriptive
theory and human realities cannot be made to correspond.

     5.  Labeling  creative non-conformists  as  perverse,
imperfect,  mis-guided,   degraded,   evil,  and worthy of
excommunication---when   they  persist  in   demonstrating
openly  and honestly that  prescriptive  theories  do  not
describe reality openly and honestly.

     6.  Undermining    the   self-esteem   and   personal
integrity of people who  do  not demonstrate the propriety
of prescriptive theories  pertaining  to  reflexive  human
behaviors;   by  dumping  upon them burdens of  shame  and
guilt.

     7.  Putting in prison or  banishing from sight  those
members  of  the  community  who  persist  in  being  non-
conformists in violation of the prescriptive theories.

     To  avoid such perversions of the objective  paradigm
when  attempts are made to transfer it into  dealing  with
reflexive human realities we need to:

     1.  Focus  upon NON-COERCIVE  DESCRIPTIONS  of actual
human   thoughts,    feelings,    desires,    experiences,
perceptions, beliefs and  convictions---rather  than  upon
COERCIVE PRESCRIPTIONS of what they "should" be.

     2.  Openly and honestly acknowledge that the  process
of  seeking  to transfer the objective paradigm  into  the
realm  of seeking to UNDERSTAND,  MANIPULATE AND  CONTROL:
human   thoughts,    feelings,    desires,    experiences,
perceptions,   beliefs  and  convictions---is  a REFLEXIVE
PROCESS  which must focus honestly upon those  seeking  to
carry  out  the  process if it, is to have  any  chance of
transcending prejudicial bias.

     3.  Openly   and   honestly   acknowledge   that   in
unmodified   form  the  objective  paradigm  is  bound  to
encourage coercive and disintegrative behaviors---if it is
transferred   into   the   realms   of   reflexive   human
relationships.

     4.  Openly   and   honestly  acknowledge   that   the
objective paradigm must be transformed in very fundamental
ways---before  it  can  transferred  into  the  realms  of
reflexive    human   relationships   without    tragically
disintegrative consequences.

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