Logical Method: L'6
Choice of Name: The original name chosen was formal, but this was applied to a Research Method (PH'2L2) and it seemed wiser to avoid a duplication. Formulae are however common in both Domains. Another possibility considered was assumptive.
Features
This is the language of fundamental assumptions. We live with and through a reality that is conditioned by and contingent on factors that vary with the time, place, society or person. However, it is possible to penetrate these superficialities and particularities so that the common basics of existence are revealed. Such essences are not only relevant to physical reality, where mathematics often plays a role; but also to psychosocial reality.
Accounts of fundamentals do not require technical language and are not based on social agreement. The principles or entities are articulated in a direct and clear way with examples illustrating the matter. The reality is self-evident if a person concentrates on what is proposed. So while it involves presenting evidence and making arguments, it is not wholly dependent on this.
Communications can be developed that are:
- universal—applicable across cultures and languages
- powerful—enable profound change by engaging reality's deepest level
- useful—because it is a formalization of what exists and not a theory
- fertile—because it feeds into many fields and opens many possibilities.
The result is consistent and coherent communications that reduce confusion and complexity. Unlike conceptual-L3 language, logical-L6 language is grounded in what is natural and evident to anyone who chooses to consider the matter seriously.
Examples
An Analysis of Everyday Social Communications
Robert Gula: Nonsense: Red Herrings, Straw Men and Sacred Cows: How We Abuse Logic in our Everyday Language. Axios Press, 2007.
This is a superb account of the way people commonly say things in public that are meaningless or deceptive. He notes that people have a natural tendency to be subjective rather than objective: this is not "meant to be critical or judgemental". "The untrained mind will usually take the path of least resistance ...[which]...is rarely through reason."
The book is a relatively easy read, but it is a bit tiring to go through all the ways that people are unreasonable and deceive themselves and others. At the end there is an 8 page Summary of Fallacies and Nonsense using simple names i.e. one line for each. There are no references in the text itself, but some important books are listed at the end with personal comments attached.
Note Logical Features: use of names, presence of examples and absence of evidence (e.g. studies), careful expression, objectivity, no excessive precision, absence of concept definitions, universal applicability, personal flavour.
Mathematics
Mathematics consists of many distinct fields like geometry, numbers, sets—but what are the fundamentals that govern them all? They are rather straightforward. Whereas concepts are jargon, fundamentals are immediately accessible. David Hilbert said: A mathematical theory is not to be considered complete until you have made it so clear that you can explain it to the first man whom you meet on the street.
Using fundamentals, it is possible to prove that 2+2 = 4, but the proof has 25,933 steps
. Working through those 25,933 steps requires a lot of patience.
The professional mathematician may not directly appeal to absolute fundamentals. Rather he starts with non-obvious principles that have been derived logically from these fundamentals, sometimes with immense effort. So his starting point seems impenetrable.
THEE System of Frameworks
Every formal name and each associated formula in the Taxonomy corresponds to a specific psychosocial function. These entities are then organized in a logical way to provide frameworks for discourse and application.
Because each THEE framework is built up out of self-evident ideas and principles, they are accessible to anyone prepared to reflect and with some familiarity with the phenomena under consideration. This assumption of universal accessibility is the reason that all pages allow for comments and criticism. It is taken for granted that errors or extensions of the ideas will result from such openness.
THEE is trans-disciplinary. It is not based in concepts and does not create a new disciplinary field. There is jargon, but this is confined to the architectural layout and not to the substance of the frameworks.
Criticisms: Fair and Unfair
While the communicator is striving for simplicity and transparency, the view from the outside is rarely confirmatory. Because the attention of most is transient, the output is viewed as over-complicated. While following one or two principles is rather easy, any area typically has many: dozens, perhaps hundreds. As with the mathematics example above, this can feel overwhelming. Life shouldn't be so hard!
Taking notice of all the principles and their implications simultaneously or seeing patterns amongst them ends up revealing matters that are not immediately intuitive. Although anyone can follow the steps, few may want to do so. In some cases, the orientation or mindset of the recipient may make accounts impenetrable or unacceptable.
Originally posted: 5-Jan-2013. Last amended: 10-Feb-2023.