Source of Perennial Controversies

The necessary re-orientation of this PH'4-Typology called for a review of the two key dualities: oscillating and unfolding. This led to minor readjustments.

The Unfolding Duality

Unfolding dualities emerge as a dialectical process, so it should not be surrprising that they spark perennial seemingly unresolvable controversies.

Tech Note:

Unfolding dualities are characterized by a thesis, and antithesis and a synthesis. They appear to be characteristic of Principal Typologies, and Structural Hierarchies, although their function is as yet unknown.

In regard to mental stabilization, the ground state (content or thesis) is the innate core of a self that is invariably available for use. This core is subject to a developmental potential (the context or antithesis) that requires some effort to activate and apply.

This duality seems to be an unresolvable dilemma and generates perennial controversies in psychological theory and philosophical thought. However, synthesis or transcendence of the duality generates a new innate core at the next higher Level where a new developmental potential emerges. The system is cyclic so that synthesis at L'7 leads back to the core at L'1.

L'1: Sensory Existence

The Sensory method-L'1 assigns primacy to Sensation-L1. It entails existing within a socio-physical milieu with a need for constant socio-emotional stimulation.

Such an existence is essentially receptive in its core, but a degree of activity is nonetheless needed to be part of the circle or network and ensure reciprocal interactions and participation in events.

Activity optimizes and extends the quantity and quality of social contacts and stimulation, and so is developmental in nature.

Controversy: Psychologists still argue whether sensation is a matter of passive direct reception or is generated by an active process in the brain, often concluding that sensation is ultimately part of the mystery of consciousness.

As the focus on being active increases, the next method, called here Vital, emerges based on bodily function. Activity and receptivity are synthesized in bodily function because being receptive may be an active process and vice versa.

L'2: Vital existence

The Vital method assigns primacy to Image-L2. It entails seeing the self concretely, that is to say, as a physical and embodied entity. So personal existence occurs via the body's structures and functions. It depends on keeping fit and results in feelings of vitality.

Such an existence has as its core our physiological or instinctual functioning. However, to be mentally stabilized by biology, the functions must be symbolically elaborated. The use of concentration on images, the simplest form of symbolic representation, provides a developmental force.

Controversy: Theorists argue about whether dream imagery is to be seen as purely reflex and biological, or whether it is a symbolic production. Dreams are intrinsically biological of course, but personal development only results if the images are taken seriously as symbols.

As the use of symbolization increases, a new method, called here Emotional, emerges based on whole body states. Here, symbolic and instinctual activity are synthesized and cannot be differentiated.

L'3: Emotional existence

The Emotional method assigns primacy to Emotion-L3. The core of existence here is provided by body states which are recognized as feelings, flows of feeling, and containment of feelings.

While bodily-felt anxiety, fear, joy, anger, sadness &c spontaneously provide a core for existence, mind-based states (similarly labelled) offer the potential for development through the clarification of values (meanings, ideas) associated with them.

These mental states must identify with and master emotions. So the duality here is that between mind-based experiences and body-based experiences—or, more succinctly, mind-body.

Controversy: Mind-body is perhaps the most notorious of philosophical controversies and it now rages in neuroscience. The modern debate commenced over 300 years ago when Descartes proposed dualism in preference to mentalist (higher level) or materialist (lower level) solutions to the problem of existence. Psychologists have also puzzled over whether emotions are primarily perceptions of body changes (the James-Lange theory) or whether the body reacts in response to mental emotions (the Cannon critique).

The intangibility of mental states and the unambiguous nature of bodily states make these seem irredeemably distinct. Yet it is possible to synthesise them as an embodied mind, and insist that a person is a psychosomatic unity i.e. a specific unique self. This generates Individual existence.

L'4: Individual existence

The Individual method assigns primacy to Idea-L4, and the paramount idea is the self i.e. self-concept and self-images that must be esteemed and respected. The person finds their way in a world of other people by using this self as a core state.

Others who resemble the self may be sought as companions, but there always remains a persistent gulf that serves as the basis for autonomy. This gulf enables formation of a false self, which is a cocoon or protective armour that mediates the impact of others and protects the true self, but with serious side-effects.

Only the true self can recognize genuine differences and benefit from others. Being a source of needed esteem and respect, the other can therefore serve as a development force.

Controversy: Self-Other is the least controversial duality in our present individualistic age. However, the issue of whether one can or should just depend on one's self or exist for one's self or depend on or exist for others or an other is still evident, particularly when Eastern and Western cultures clash.

The tension within the duality is resolved by the self becoming inconceivable without the other, and the other becoming inconceivable without a link to the self. In other words, the self-other group becomes the core of existence, as affirmed in Relational existence.

 

L'5: Relational existence

The Relational method assigns primacy to Intuition-L5. Intuition is essential for any deep recognition of another's nature and for appreciating wishes and needs.

Relationships define a group which is the spontaneously existing core. The group is usually two, but it may be a few, especially in a family. Developmental pressure comes from the individuality of each person in shaping the relationship and the group reality.

The degree to which one’s autonomy should be affected and choices shaped by the group identity is never straightforward.

Controversy:  It is not even clear, for example, whether a person’s apparently spontaneous actions and private intuitions are a property of the individual or whether social reality interferes so much that they are a product of the group. Psychoanalytic therapists and psychologists tend to see the individual as determining features of the group. Whereas group or family therapists and sociologists argue that the group has the primary reality and view individual experiences and actions as manifestations of the group process.

When group membership is an expression of individuality, the two poles of the duality are fused. This occurs with the adoption of roles that are characteristic of Social existence.

L'6: Social existence

The Social method assigns primacy to Identification-L6. Social existence uses identifications to become embedded in a particular society at a point in historical time, Participating responsibly in suitably chosen groups leads to a viable social identity.

The core is found in the roles assigned and adopted within the group. These stabilize a person. Developmental potential is provided by using social situations to extend, modify or leave a given role.

Controversy:  In the psychology, management and political literatures, there is frequently debate about whether choices are contingent on situations or whether they depend on role definition and who is assigned to the role.

To synthesize the duality would mean creating an existence in which the identity core is relevant to any social role or social situation. Such an identity would have to transcend culture and time.This is possible by feeling part of humanity as a whole and, more dramatically, recognizing an eternal and cosmic universe as occurs in Transpersonal existence.

L'7: Transpersonal existence

The Transpersonal method assign primacy to Imagination-L7. Existence here depends on faith and a recognition of a spiritual dimension to human life. It is satisfied by union with others and with the Cosmos.

The self is viewed as divine in nature and spontaneously present as a soul or divine spark within. That serves as the core. The potential for development comes from God, an entity of which the soul is a part or a reflection. This can leads to a search for God, which takes effort. God is perceived as seeking to draw the soul on upward to an ever-greater awareness and deeper experience of spirituality.

Controversy: The perennial theological controversy is whether God is utterly other and separated in essence from man (i.e. transcendent), or whether God is ultimately identical with man or within man if only this is realized (i.e. immanent). This dialectic of immanence-transcendence is a version of the duality of soul-God.

Synthesis of soul and God entails using mystical techniques to generate an identification with something that lies unthinkably outside of existence.This experience, typically fostered in Eastern traditions, has been described with a number of terms — enlightenment, liberation, samadhi, nirvana, satori, moksha, wu.

This state appears to be an extinction of self that is close to or identical with receptivity in Sensory being, so returning us to the commencement at L'1.

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• Check for an oscillating duality.
• Continue to the TET.

Originally posted:  15-Oct-2014. Last updated 12-Dec-2014.