It is important to recognise that the symmetric realm is the realm of necessities/possibilities and so includes all parts out of context and all 'laws' in the form of instincts/habits. As such, symmetric thinking etc is an essential SUPPORT mechanism that can create problems if allowed to take a lead role in dealing with actuality (brings out confusion of the surreal/romantic with the real); habits and instincts are always GENERALS and confusion of CLASS with INSTANCE can lead to serious issues in dealing with reality.
Thus the dynamics of mediation and parts distinction aid in the operation of a life form dealing with a context from a symmetric position. Developmentally we see the determinism of genetics eliciting a symmetric form at the global level that is then customised locally (aspects dynamics, parts focus) where the customisation includes specialist language creations for social communication and storing material 'off line'. Thus we see a development hierarchy of symmetry->anti-symmetry->asymmetry with the latter allowing for feedback to the symmetric in the form of instinct/habit refinements etc and so energy conservation in the long run. The overall focus of asymmetry gives a sense of direction and location to symmetry and in doing so allows for a symmetric form to re-configure itself due to a changing environment.
"Remember, too, that symmetrized logic is endemic not only in unconscious processes but also in emotional states generally" p28 Rayner, E., (2003)"Unconscious Logic : an introduction to Matte Blanco's bi-logic and its uses" Brunner-Routledge
"The whole realm of emotional communication, useful or not, is imbued with symmetrizations or identicalizations. This could be in intimate love, anger or pain; in gossip, politics, poetry or literature - in any rhetorical expressions" p34 Rayner, E., (2003)"Unconscious Logic : an introduction to Matte Blanco's bi-logic and its uses" Brunner-Routledge
Thus focus is validated independently through the focus on precision issues and integration. That said, more work is needed in covering secondary emotions where they depend on a strong sense of self for their definition.
The IDM focus on recursion in meaning generation covers the apparent propensity for the psyche to dichotomise, or 'split'. In early infancy there is a strong tendency for gross either/or behaviours that become more refined over time - this refinement reflecting the recursion activity applied to dichotomies that elicit finer distinctions and communication of such. An addition to this dynamic is the IDM-identified 'phase transition' in meaning generation where mechanistic recursion passes into organic recursion and the genesis of languages.
Together with the development of richer communication skills is the development of the two paths of meaning generation, that of emotional highs and lows and so of magnitudes, and that of date/time stamps and so of sequencies - the former, through amygdala development, preceding by some time the development of the latter, through hippocampus development. Implicit in this is differences in early forms of communication grounded in magnitudes and the immediate when compared to a delay element, and finer syntactic communications, grounded in sequencing.
We see here emerge different classes of dichotomy where the original A/NOT-A format is more representative of aspectual analysis and the anti-symmetry of the XOR operator, but symmetric and asymmetric forms also exist - the latter being a compressed form of trichotomy - there is a mediation arm present that is withdrawn once mediation is completed. This mediation format covers language generation at work across asymmetric dichotomies such as parts/whole.
empathy -> symmetrisation of selves. 'merging of selves' -> spacial symmetrisation.
"A thought about a whole ohject 'B' and a part of it 'b' involves a space or time relation between then such that B INCLUDES b, while b IS INCLUDED in B. Such thoughts or propositions naturally use asymmetric logic. But when symmetrized, thinking will be in the form of 'B includes b - b includes B'. Space within object 'B' will have disappeared. Thus where symmetry rules, whole objects are experienced as identical to their parts." pp32 Rayner, E., (2003)"Unconscious Logic : an introduction to Matte Blanco's bi-logic and its uses" Brunner-Routledge
Positive feedback dynamics can elicit part=whole issues where that which is discretised/amplified takes on the form of a whole when it is a part. "This equation is most obvious in psychosis when, say, someone may feel that the whjole spirit of evil is emerging through a boil on the nose" pp32 Rayner, E., (2003)"Unconscious Logic : an introduction to Matte Blanco's bi-logic and its uses" Brunner-Routledge
This covers the nature of amplification and concentration - it gets into issues of object formation and compaction of content such that what is within this part is a copy of the whole - we see this in, for example, genetics, but the confusion is in the CODE for a whole vs the AMPLIFIED code for that part - IOW we see confusion of instance with class, part with whole.
in relation to an exam result:
normal asymmetry - "I have failed this time"
neurotic - "I am an utter failure"
psychotic - "I am failure" - hard core symmetrisation - the whole that is "I" has become "Failure" - there is no differentiation of the two but there is still differentiation of the sense of "I".
"Ordinary conscious logical reasoning, which includes scientific and everyday thought about the physical world, consistantly entertains propositions about asymmetrical relations. Here the mind is conceiving of relations whose converses are not identical to them. This naturally involves the discrimination of difference relations.At the same time symmetrical relations will no doubt be entertained but, if thought is ordinarily logical, they will remain constently interwoven with and do not oblitorate the asymmetrical ones." pp24-25 Rayner, E., (2003)"Unconscious Logic : an introduction to Matte Blanco's bi-logic and its uses" Brunner-Routledge
"The system unconscious selectively treats the converse of any relation as identical to it. It treats logically asymmetrical relations as if they were symmetrical...Note that it is said that the unconscious *selectively* treats asymmetrical relations as symmetrical. Thus some aspects of unconscious process can still behave asymmetrically and with due regard to two-valued logic while, in other aspects, symmetry and sameness of converses may hold sway. Thus certain asymmetrical elements, in dreams for instance, can still retain ckear logical discrimination. The process of selectively ignoring certain asymmetrical or difference relations is called symmetrization. ... symmetrization suggests a move into greater simplicity. It can thus be thought of as a slippage or regression into crudity which can then suggest an evasive or avoidant activity. There was no doubt in Matte Blanco's mind that symmetrization very often works in this way as a defence; but this is not its primary function, which is just to experience sameness. It has been suggested that symmetrization basically functions in the service of recognition." p25 Rayner, E., (2003)"Unconscious Logic : an introduction to Matte Blanco's bi-logic and its uses" Brunner-Routledge
"When there is an engulfment or insertion of symmetry...a relationship can only be known as symmetrical where full consciousness would have conceived of it as also having asymmetrical elements. The mind is said to be operating at that point according to symmetrized or symmetric logic rather than in an ordinary logical two-valued or 'Aristotelian' way." p25 Rayner, E., (2003)"Unconscious Logic : an introduction to Matte Blanco's bi-logic and its uses" Brunner-Routledge
"...one may, at a conscious level, be quite clear that self and other are different people, but at a level where symmetrisation has occured there could be a diffuse objectless feeling. This would be akin to 'there is goodness' or 'there is hate', 'love is between us', or 'it's nice'... these experiences [are] close to 'just being' rather than something 'happening'.
In this instance the seperate subject and object of each 'proposition' have slipped into the background; they are interchangable or undifferentiated - even disappeared. Only the *predicate* of the proposition remains clear. This has been called predicate thinking" p27 Rayner, E., (2003)"Unconscious Logic : an introduction to Matte Blanco's bi-logic and its uses" Brunner-Routledge
What is noticable in the above from an IDM perspective is the more symmetric a perspective the more we lose multiple object differentiation and all meaning is left to relational space dynamics operating within the one object, the closed symmetric system - this only leaves the space 'inbetween' objects and so the space of bonding and binding - the world of predicates takes over meaning but in doing so we have lost precision.
In work on savants and on chicks, an observation has emerged of these having issues with object recognition beyond the 'symmetric whole' - all meaning is tied with sensory system secondary harmonics used in the creation of an associative memory:
"Associative Memory : Memory that is addressed by content rather than by address; content addressable is often used synonymously. An AssociativeMemory permits its users to specify part of a pattern or key and retrieve the values associated with that pattern.
Thus this form of memory has only one 'object', the symmetric whole, and all meaning is in the relationships WITHIN that whole. Thus savant skills and those of chicks share a common theme in depending on, working with, secondary harmonics and so relational space as 'meaning' - this means some issues in dealing with multiple objects (and detection of sameness/difference across such). ("Dwelling only upon the attribute of a class...is an act of abstraction")
"Another useful way of conceiving this has been suggested ... that in less differentiated or symmetrized experiences *abstract conceptions*, attributes or intuitions (e.g. loveliness, niceness, hatefulness etc) are floating free of specific relations. The effect of such an omnipresent idea is the same as symmetrization" p27 Rayner, E., (2003)"Unconscious Logic : an introduction to Matte Blanco's bi-logic and its uses" Brunner-Routledge
Monday, December 28, 2009
A Phase Transition - mechanistic to organic
In the IDM work we have identified a phase transition where mechanistic recursive activities, mindlessly churning out classes of meanings (more often instance and class are undifferentiated and so a corse symmetric focus) suddenly turns into organic recursion where the classes reach a level of the whole set of classes being used as a language to describe the finer details of each element in the set. We see this sort of 'phase transition' in the studies of primitive indiginous language development versus such universal forms such as English. Prior to the transition the meanings are highly dependent on local context material - history/legend/myth/terrain etc - and as such not universal - there is a strong tie to literal interpretations. Post the phase transition we find that the classes of meanings can be used figuratively and so free of local context ties - a fully blown universal language develops.
The IDM focus on the generation of meaning covers differentiation and integration and these are easily mapped to the more specialist distinction of discrimination/recognition (difference/sameness). What transcends such is the frontal lobe and pre-frontal cortex developments where the PART/WHOLE dynamics of differentiating(anti-symmetry)/integrating(symmetry) leads into the emergence of asymmetry in the form of specialist languages that are used to mediate part-whole, difference-sameness, issues:
"The method of analogy presupposes the more fundamental concept of symmetry, and this would seem, as we have seen, to be the magic ingredient which makes physics work. Symmetry allows us to do what Newton and other analytic physicists have wished to do: to define an abstract, unknowable reality, combined with a process of observation or measurement of its parts. Symmetry is not really, as we might imagine, a measure of similarity, but a measure of difference, or, to be more specific, absolute oppositeness or negation. Symmetry between two concepts means absolute identity in most respects, combined with absolute opposition in one. So symmetry allows us to characterize a part of reality without characterizing the whole. Only through symmetry can unity result in diversity. And physics works in such a way that when you characterize a part of reality in a certain way, you are necessarily characterizing the rest as different (i.e. opposite)." p59 - Rowlands, Peter (2007)"Zero to infinity: the foundations of physics" World Scientific
Analysis of basic brain function brings out the XOR (Exclusive OR) nature of differentiating and the EQV (equivalence) nature of integrating. As such we see that each is the negation of the other (XOR = NOT EQV and visa versa). The PRECISION issues of differentiating and integrating, where the former can reduce to a point but the latter can reduce to no less than two points, then bring out the PARRTICULAR/GENERAL focus and as such the aspects analysis of anti-symmetry.
In IDM there is an identification of neural hierarchies - the rigid form of syntax emergent from a less rigid, more web/network-like form associated with semantics. LEVELS in these hierarchies bring out the dynamics of parallel processing of information with consciousness being at the 'top' in the context of precision in assessing local context details. This is also covered in Matte-Blanco's work:
"The consciousness level appears to be the one that is most sensitive in discriminating asymmetries and differences of converses. Simultaneously at a less conscious level the mind seems to be more interested in similarities and samenesses. Because it is a coordinator for dealing with the world, consciousness cannot manage too many samenesses. [brings out the serial nature]. The unconscious, on the other hand, can manage this [brings out the parallel nature]" p27 Rayner, E., (2003)"Unconscious Logic : an introduction to Matte Blanco's bi-logic and its uses" Brunner-Routledge - my brackets [].
The IDM focus on the generation of meaning covers differentiation and integration and these are easily mapped to the more specialist distinction of discrimination/recognition (difference/sameness). What transcends such is the frontal lobe and pre-frontal cortex developments where the PART/WHOLE dynamics of differentiating(anti-symmetry)/integrating(symmetry) leads into the emergence of asymmetry in the form of specialist languages that are used to mediate part-whole, difference-sameness, issues:
"The method of analogy presupposes the more fundamental concept of symmetry, and this would seem, as we have seen, to be the magic ingredient which makes physics work. Symmetry allows us to do what Newton and other analytic physicists have wished to do: to define an abstract, unknowable reality, combined with a process of observation or measurement of its parts. Symmetry is not really, as we might imagine, a measure of similarity, but a measure of difference, or, to be more specific, absolute oppositeness or negation. Symmetry between two concepts means absolute identity in most respects, combined with absolute opposition in one. So symmetry allows us to characterize a part of reality without characterizing the whole. Only through symmetry can unity result in diversity. And physics works in such a way that when you characterize a part of reality in a certain way, you are necessarily characterizing the rest as different (i.e. opposite)." p59 - Rowlands, Peter (2007)"Zero to infinity: the foundations of physics" World Scientific
Analysis of basic brain function brings out the XOR (Exclusive OR) nature of differentiating and the EQV (equivalence) nature of integrating. As such we see that each is the negation of the other (XOR = NOT EQV and visa versa). The PRECISION issues of differentiating and integrating, where the former can reduce to a point but the latter can reduce to no less than two points, then bring out the PARRTICULAR/GENERAL focus and as such the aspects analysis of anti-symmetry.
In IDM there is an identification of neural hierarchies - the rigid form of syntax emergent from a less rigid, more web/network-like form associated with semantics. LEVELS in these hierarchies bring out the dynamics of parallel processing of information with consciousness being at the 'top' in the context of precision in assessing local context details. This is also covered in Matte-Blanco's work:
"The consciousness level appears to be the one that is most sensitive in discriminating asymmetries and differences of converses. Simultaneously at a less conscious level the mind seems to be more interested in similarities and samenesses. Because it is a coordinator for dealing with the world, consciousness cannot manage too many samenesses. [brings out the serial nature]. The unconscious, on the other hand, can manage this [brings out the parallel nature]" p27 Rayner, E., (2003)"Unconscious Logic : an introduction to Matte Blanco's bi-logic and its uses" Brunner-Routledge - my brackets [].
Mindedness - Symmetric, Anti-Symmetric, Asymmetric
"The Principle of Generalization.
The system unconscious treats an individual thing (person, object, concept) as if it were a member or element of a set or class which contains other members; it treats this class as a subclass of a mor egeneral class, and this more general class as a subclass of a still more general class and so on"
P 34 Matte-Blanco, I., (1975)"The Unconscious as Infinite Sets" Karnec
"...symmetrical relations do not seem at first sight to be as common as asymmetrical ones when perceiving the external world with its geometry and geography of things, which is replete with difference relations between places, points, lines surfaces, spaces and solid things. However, at the same time we must continuously use sameness relations when dealing with the world. Perhaps asymmetry comes to the fore because a prime use of consciousness is to *locate* the self within the world of objects. This is a central function of the focus of attention. Notice also that we are concerned with logically asymmetrical and symmetrical relations, which are defined by the identity or not of their converses; they apply to much more than spacial relations.
The word symmetry simply refers to sameness between at least two things and thus to matching and one-to-one correspondence." pp23-24 Rayner, E., (2003)"Unconscious Logic : an introduction to Matte Blanco's bi-logic and its uses" Brunner-Routledge
We see here the focus on location " ..which needs difference discrimination, and recognition which needs sensitivity to samenesses." pp 25 Rayner, E., (2003)"Unconscious Logic : an introduction to Matte Blanco's bi-logic and its uses" Brunner-Routledge
The IDM focus covers the development of consciousness as running in tandem with the development of precision in expression through the making of distinctions and the emergence of language once enough distinctions have been made - in other words the richer the distinctions the richer the level of developed consciousness. Jung summarised this in the context of observations from psychotherapy:
"We can say that individuals are equal only in so far as they are in a large measure unconscious - unconscious, that is, of their actual differences. The more unconscious a man is, the more he will conform to the general canon of psychic behaviour. But the more conscious he becomes of his individuality, the more pronounced will be his difference from other subjects and the less he will come up to common expectations. Further, his reactions are much less predictable. This is due to the fact that an individual consciousness is more highly differentiated and more extensive. But the more extensive it becomes the more differences it will perceive and the more it will emancipate itself from the collective rules, for the empirical freedom of the will grows in proportion to the extension of consciousness.
As the individual differentiation of consciousness proceeds, the objective validity of its views decreases and their subjectivity increases, at least in the eyes of the environment, if not in actual fact. For if a view is to be valid, it must have the acclaim of the greatest possible number, regardless of the arguments put forward in its favour. "True" and "valid" describe what the majority believe, for this confirms the equality of all. But differentiated consciousness no longer takes it for granted that one's own preconceptions are applicable to others, and vice versa" p83 C. Jung, The Nature of the Psyche (RKP)
The focus in differentiating is a favouring of SYNTAX and so of rigid precision, a rigid pyramid-like/tree-like hierarchy of controlled meaning with all in the 'correct' location. In other words the realm of syntax covers the concentration of all meaning into location, one's position in the hierarchy determines identity and so 'meaning'. Thus the development of consciousness runs in tandem with refinements in differentiation skills and these develop POST birth, especially over the first two years or so where we see emerge a definite sense of self - then open to refinement through learning and experiences.
The system unconscious treats an individual thing (person, object, concept) as if it were a member or element of a set or class which contains other members; it treats this class as a subclass of a mor egeneral class, and this more general class as a subclass of a still more general class and so on"
P 34 Matte-Blanco, I., (1975)"The Unconscious as Infinite Sets" Karnec
"...symmetrical relations do not seem at first sight to be as common as asymmetrical ones when perceiving the external world with its geometry and geography of things, which is replete with difference relations between places, points, lines surfaces, spaces and solid things. However, at the same time we must continuously use sameness relations when dealing with the world. Perhaps asymmetry comes to the fore because a prime use of consciousness is to *locate* the self within the world of objects. This is a central function of the focus of attention. Notice also that we are concerned with logically asymmetrical and symmetrical relations, which are defined by the identity or not of their converses; they apply to much more than spacial relations.
The word symmetry simply refers to sameness between at least two things and thus to matching and one-to-one correspondence." pp23-24 Rayner, E., (2003)"Unconscious Logic : an introduction to Matte Blanco's bi-logic and its uses" Brunner-Routledge
We see here the focus on location " ..which needs difference discrimination, and recognition which needs sensitivity to samenesses." pp 25 Rayner, E., (2003)"Unconscious Logic : an introduction to Matte Blanco's bi-logic and its uses" Brunner-Routledge
The IDM focus covers the development of consciousness as running in tandem with the development of precision in expression through the making of distinctions and the emergence of language once enough distinctions have been made - in other words the richer the distinctions the richer the level of developed consciousness. Jung summarised this in the context of observations from psychotherapy:
"We can say that individuals are equal only in so far as they are in a large measure unconscious - unconscious, that is, of their actual differences. The more unconscious a man is, the more he will conform to the general canon of psychic behaviour. But the more conscious he becomes of his individuality, the more pronounced will be his difference from other subjects and the less he will come up to common expectations. Further, his reactions are much less predictable. This is due to the fact that an individual consciousness is more highly differentiated and more extensive. But the more extensive it becomes the more differences it will perceive and the more it will emancipate itself from the collective rules, for the empirical freedom of the will grows in proportion to the extension of consciousness.
As the individual differentiation of consciousness proceeds, the objective validity of its views decreases and their subjectivity increases, at least in the eyes of the environment, if not in actual fact. For if a view is to be valid, it must have the acclaim of the greatest possible number, regardless of the arguments put forward in its favour. "True" and "valid" describe what the majority believe, for this confirms the equality of all. But differentiated consciousness no longer takes it for granted that one's own preconceptions are applicable to others, and vice versa" p83 C. Jung, The Nature of the Psyche (RKP)
The focus in differentiating is a favouring of SYNTAX and so of rigid precision, a rigid pyramid-like/tree-like hierarchy of controlled meaning with all in the 'correct' location. In other words the realm of syntax covers the concentration of all meaning into location, one's position in the hierarchy determines identity and so 'meaning'. Thus the development of consciousness runs in tandem with refinements in differentiation skills and these develop POST birth, especially over the first two years or so where we see emerge a definite sense of self - then open to refinement through learning and experiences.
Some Fundamental Reflections
To me a fundamental in understanding is to try and sense what is behind an expression - what motivates it, where in our deepest selves has it originated, for what purpose?
The complexity of our minds indicate consciousness to be a mediation tool, a creator of specialist languages used to resolve issues where a habit/instinct does not work.
As such consciousness is grounded in mediation space and so relational space, a space of uncertainties, of possibilities mixed with necessities; thus all languages produced by consciousness are, upon close analysis, found to be incomplete in that completeness is where we move from the delay of mediation to the immediacy of response to a stimulus.
In learning new or complex information we can detect this delay in the new instinct/habit where the delay is indicative of the presence of consciousness mediating the learning. Once the response to the particular stimulus is refined, the delay goes away and we fall back onto the immediacy of stimulus/response.
This realm of uncertainty is a realm of vagueness, we fish around for meanings and as such this vague realm is a source of classes of meanings we then instantiate to give us the specific meaning used to represent some specific event.
If we analyse the products of neuroscience research we can identify a core set of classes of meanings shared across all neuron-dependent life forms. This set of classes of meanings appears to form the foundation for all specialist perspectives where they are abstractions developed from our concrete existance that we then metaphorise to represent 'out of context' experiences - by this I mean that the single context realm of our sensory being is limited by direct experience of reality through the limits of our sensory systems - we can only sense upto the horizon of those senses.
Through abstraction and the use of analogy/metaphor and so the realm of the figurative we can transcend our single context perspective, we can imagine the future, see into the past, or communicate the current moment but experienced from a position very different to our current physical position.
Given the work in neurosciences, how far can we go in identifying a set of basic classes of meanings in a formal manner, what methodology allows for the creation of 'universals' of meaning from the 'mindless' dynamics of the neurology?
The complexity of our minds indicate consciousness to be a mediation tool, a creator of specialist languages used to resolve issues where a habit/instinct does not work.
As such consciousness is grounded in mediation space and so relational space, a space of uncertainties, of possibilities mixed with necessities; thus all languages produced by consciousness are, upon close analysis, found to be incomplete in that completeness is where we move from the delay of mediation to the immediacy of response to a stimulus.
In learning new or complex information we can detect this delay in the new instinct/habit where the delay is indicative of the presence of consciousness mediating the learning. Once the response to the particular stimulus is refined, the delay goes away and we fall back onto the immediacy of stimulus/response.
This realm of uncertainty is a realm of vagueness, we fish around for meanings and as such this vague realm is a source of classes of meanings we then instantiate to give us the specific meaning used to represent some specific event.
If we analyse the products of neuroscience research we can identify a core set of classes of meanings shared across all neuron-dependent life forms. This set of classes of meanings appears to form the foundation for all specialist perspectives where they are abstractions developed from our concrete existance that we then metaphorise to represent 'out of context' experiences - by this I mean that the single context realm of our sensory being is limited by direct experience of reality through the limits of our sensory systems - we can only sense upto the horizon of those senses.
Through abstraction and the use of analogy/metaphor and so the realm of the figurative we can transcend our single context perspective, we can imagine the future, see into the past, or communicate the current moment but experienced from a position very different to our current physical position.
Given the work in neurosciences, how far can we go in identifying a set of basic classes of meanings in a formal manner, what methodology allows for the creation of 'universals' of meaning from the 'mindless' dynamics of the neurology?
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