Dichotomizing in RH

Root Hierarchy

The Root Hierarchy represents the core of the taxonomy. Everything in psychosocial reality flows from it. So divisions here would be expected to reflect perennial issues about human nature. The splitting in philosophical debates typically ignores the internal levels. Reality is presented as a polarity. The higher division supposedly represents mankind's superiority or higher nature.

Divisions

6+1 Split: Sapience Dimension
The Computational Model of the Mind

		Biological Instinct
RL7	Willingness	Transcendence	Knowing how...
RL6	Purpose	Goodness	Knowing why...	rationally
RL5	Communication	Language	Knowing about...	conventionally, truly
RL4	Experience	Endeavour	Knowing who...	a person
RL3	Change	Safety	Knowing what...	the difference
RL2	Inquiry	Knowledge	Knowing...	information (a fact, a concept)
		Knowing orientations on offer:
RL1	Action	Activity	Using knowing in practice

Dichotomy Conjecture:  

Consciousness v Effectiveness
Sentience v Existence
Thought v Instrumentality
Independence v Agency
Being reasonable v Being impulsive

This is the division emphasized by biologists, neurophysiologists, most philosophers and many AI investigators.

Action and the activity instinct are viewed as a matter of sensory input and motor (behavioral) output. So they are "easy" to understand. What is not so clear is "the mind" the controls action and has experiences.

The simplest approach is evident here. It recognizes that the brain deals in information and signals. These are not only abstract, but do not depend on any particular substrate (i.e. they could just as easily occur in a computer). Because information can have pattern and organization, it is a natural candidate for being "the mind".

The knowledge instinct is responsible for providing information and mind can then be identified with the information encoded in the brain.

This computational approach is labeled in philosophy as the functionalist solution to the mind-brain problem. It has become a core principle for cognitive neuroscience research. It has a long history, stemming at least from Newell and Simon (1976) who asserted the equivalence of mind with the manipulation of abstract formal symbols.

This model is also the basis for much artificial intelligence research. Here, the computation of patterns from information flows can be checked against results: can the computer actually play chess or reply to a question correctly.

Criticism

5+2 Split: Sentience Dimension
The _______________ Model of the Mind

RL7	Willingness	Professionalism	Idiosyncratic models??
RL6	Purpose	Politics	Cultural models
RL5	Communication	Association	Paradigm models
RL4	Experience	Individuality	Internal models
RL3	Change	Discrimination	Formal models
		Models on offer:
RL2	Inquiry	Knowing	Using preferred models.
RL1	Action	Achievement

Dichotomy Conjecture:  

Future v Past
Morality v Practicality
Evaluation/Reflection v Performance
Ethics v Science

L7 = freedom / Future

L6 = Future

L5: Narrative fallacy

L4: pleasure principle

L3: devil you know. Continuity stability

4+3 Split: Dynamic Dimension
The Evolutionary Model of the Mind

RL7	Willingness	Professionalism	Spiritual motivation
RL6	Purpose	Politics	Ethical motivation
RL5	Communication	Association	Social motivation
RL4	Experience	Individuality	Egotistic motivation
		Choose from motivations on offer:
RL3	Change	Discrimination	Focus on safety from danger.
RL2	Inquiry	Knowing
RL1	Action	Achievement

Dichotomy Conjecture:  

Subjectivity v Objectivity
Potentiality v Actuality
Invariance v Contingency
Growth v Identity
Mindset v Process

Self-consciousness, significance

Significance is viewed as about minimizing danger (RL3) and maximizing pleasure (RL4).

Gordon: Integrative neuroscience. The brain's overarching principle is to classify the world around you into things that either hurt you or help you stay alive i.e. deal with safety.

3+4 Split: Aspirational Dimension
The _______________ Model of the Mind

RL7	Willingness	Professionalism
RL6	Purpose	Politics
RL5	Communication	Association
		on offer:
RL4	Experience	Individuality
RL3	Change	Discrimination
RL2	Inquiry	Knowing
RL1	Action	Achievement

Dichotomy Conjecture:  

Transcendence v Actualisation
Future v Present
Aspiration v Implementation
Ideality v Reality

2+5 Split: Control Dimension
The _______________ Model of the Mind

RL7	Willingness	Selflessness		Use realities to guide generation of benefits.
RL6	Purpose	Autonomy
			Realities on offer:
RL5	Communication	Understanding		Conformist
RL4	Experience	Well-being		Psychosocial
RL3	Change	Acceptability		Depicted
RL2	Inquiry	Confidence		Speculative
RL1	Action	Time		Practical

Dichotomy Conjecture:  

Leadership v Work
Guidance v Execution
Control of endeavour v Pursuit of endeavour

The lower division is where reality is defined and truth is determined: differently in each case. The upper division is where pressures for autonomy and selflessness select amongst the realities on offer in order to create benefit.

1+6 Split: Power Dimension
The _______________ Model of the Mind

RL7	Willingness	Professionalist	Power to transcend all limitations.
RL6	Purpose	Politics	Trapped inside values & goals and cultures
RL5	Communication	Association	Trapped inside our societies and networks
RL4	Experience	Individuality	Trapped inside our self
RL3	Change	Discrimination	Trapped inside our models, paradigms mindsets.
RL2	Inquiry	Knowing	Openness to explore
RL1	Action	Achievement	Openness to act

Dichotomy Conjecture:  

Freedom v Obligation
Spirit v Mechanism
Transcendence v Limitation

The lower division is where egotism reins.

The upper division is where selflessness permits

Originally posted: 30-Nov-2013