All PH-L2s involve Inquiry-RL2

Colour-coding in this Topic: Orange refers to THEE terminology. Blue refers to THEE-names for specific cells or frameworks. Maroon refers to the Root Level phenomena and pressures which are presumed to be intrinsic to their function.

Proposition

The function of every PH•Level-2 element has Inquiry-RL2 as an intrinsic necessary, but often implicit, feature.

As proposed in the Review, each entity is therefore subject to a certainty pressure.

What about the other Root Levels?   Any of the other RLs may occur but they are not necessary, and by themselves they would not be enough to enable the function. Further explanations will be offered where there might be confusion.

Note: The elements examined below are not equally well understood.

In Willingness-PH7

Element	Function: Provisional Formulation
L2-Questioning a Belief	To support firm adherence to a viewpoint personally reached, even if contested, unproven or untestable.

PH7-L2: Believing is a commitment to a particular position or view. That view might be about what is the case or what is likely to occur. Many beliefs simply accrue during socialization. As a manifestation of willingness, believing requires to be out in the open so it can be questioned. The reasoning behind beliefs can then be presented and the belief abandoned or continued. Questioning necessarily entails some sort of inquiry.

Example: Others may be doubtful about your project, refusing to invest or to join. However, when you discuss with them you expose your beliefs. If you do not support questioning, you potentially foster a comforting self-delusion. You show you are willing to believe that it can succeed because you have investigated what it entails, what resources are available, and what factors are relevant.

A person may hold beliefs without inquiry e.g. based on tribal membership and childhood indoctrination, and refuse to expose or question them. Such beliefs are about what is good/right. They have not been personally reached, and are often not subjected to personal challenge. Typically wider society resents or blocks any exploration. So they belong elsewhere in the taxonomy where believing requires no justification or explanation.

Alternatives

Questioning beliefs activates other willingness-PH7 functions. However, there is no intrinsic necessity for taking action-RL1, instituting change-RL3, using experience-RL4, communicating-RL5, or having purposes-RL6—apart from these functions necessarily operating within the inquiry.

In Purpose-PH6

Element	Function: Current Formulation
L2-Setting a Strategic Objective	To specify a desired and feasible outcome which maximizes impact.

PH6-L2: Strategic objectives require inquiry for their specification because they depend on understanding the situation and the resources available. Inquiry focuses on checking feasibility and ensuring optimality. It may also be required to determine desirability in a group setting. Simple outcomes may not engage feasibility issues but, even in this case, having a useful image of the end result necessarily requires obtaining some information.

Example: If you want to sell surplus garden produce in the local market, there is an issue of what to sell and how in order to maximize profitability. You will have to find out about customer preferences, regulations, costs, pricing trends, transport, parking, and more.

Alternatives

Strategic objectives activate or imply other levels of purpose-PH6. However, they do not intrinsically involve taking action-RL1, instituting change-RL3, using experience-RL4, communicating-RL5, or being willing-RL6—apart from these functions necessarily operating within the inquiry process.

In Communication-PH5

Element	Function: Adjusted Formulation
L2-Establishing a Signal	To determine that a specific pattern of stimuli invariably conveys a specific meaning, or regard it as so doing.

PH5-L2: Signals are arbitrary and have to be devised and agreed by those involved. They involve inquiry because they must be devised to be practical and learned in order to be understood. You cannot send a signal or respond to one until you discover what it is and when it is appropriate.

Example: If you visit a foreign country and want to be able to hail a taxi-cab or get the attention of a waiter, you need to find out what to gesture or say, and when and how.

Alternatives

In practice, signalling necessarily activates other PH5-communicative elements e.g. use depends on generating stimuli. However, the ability to signal or recognize a signal does not intrinsically involve taking action-RL1, instituting change-RL3, using experience-RL4, having purposes-RL6 or being willing-RL7—apart from these functions emerging as part of inquiry.

In Experience-PH4

Element	Function: Provisional Formulation
L2-Focusing an Image	To provide a continuity in experience and the possibility of an indirect or simulated interaction with the world

PH4-L2: Visualizing requires inquiring because it is otherwise impossible to know what should be included in the image. The focusing process demands clarity about relevant features.

Example: During planning, it is a good idea to visualize exactly how certain events will evolve. To do that effectively, relevant features in the situation must be known and preferred modes of handling clarified. Contingencies must be envisaged and played out in the mind's eye.

Alternatives

Visualization may activate or imply other PH4-experience functions, like thinking. However, it does not intrinsically necessitate taking action-RL1, instituting change-RL3, communication-RL5, owning purposes-PH6, or being willing-RL6—apart from these functions emerging as part of inquiry.

In Change-PH3

Element	Function: Provisional Formulation
L2-Specifying an Alteration	To specify an unequivocally new state that is desired.

PH3-L2: Alteringrefers to a specific tangible and identifiable change of state and this calls for inquiry of some sort. Inquiry is typically systemic because the various factors and forces should harmonize or synergize. The alteration need not make things better, but it must be acceptable, be relevant and endure for some minimum time—none of this can be specified without investigation. The result is often called a modification.

Example: To refurnish your living room, you must determine options for furnishing, find out sizes of the various items, and investigate material and colour matches. You must also inquire about costs. Your spouse's views might be relevant as well. Without a systematic approach, the new state may turn out to be a mess or unaffordable.

Alternatives

Altering activates other PH3-change functions. However, it does not intrinsically involve taking action-RL1, using experience-RL4, communicating-RL5, having purposes-PH6, or being willing-R7—apart from these functions necessarily operating within inquiry.

In Inquiry-PH2

Element	Function: Provisional Formulation
L2-Defining a Concept	To provide a defined term that can be used to categorize and explain observations.

PH2-L2: Concepts are the basic unit of knowledge; and defining concepts is essential for diverse investigators to develop knowledge via systematic inquiry. But the reverse is also the case: you have to inquire in order to conceptualize. Concepts are specified with phenomena in mind, and need to be checked and tested for validity and usefulness against data from observations of these phenomena. These investigations may ultimately prove that the concept definition was wrong or the phenomena were imaginary: e.g. phlogiston, the ether.

Example: Gravity is the concept that explains and encapsulates a range of observable phenomena like weight, acceleration and planetary orbits. However, those matters had to be investigated in order for the gravity concept to become usefully stripped down to basics as: the force of attraction between masses.

Alternatives

Defining concepts is perhaps the most basic part of inquiry-PH2, activating other elements as noted above. However, it does not intrinsically involve taking action-RL1, instituting change-RL3, using experience-RL4, communicating-RL5, having purposes-PH6, or being willing-RL7—apart from these functions necessarily operating within inquiry or being part of some contextual endeavour.

Common Confusions

Concepts-PH2L2 are often mixed up with ideas-PH4L4, terms-PH5L5, and conceptions-RsHG2⁴—whose verb is conceive (not conceptualize).

In Action-PH1

Element	Function: Provisional Formulation
L2-Following a Procedure	To know a sequence of movements that have the appropriate effect in the circumstances.

PH1-L2: Following procedures entails inquiry because they have been laid down by someone with the authority to do so for a particular purpose. Inquiry was required to set out the procedure. Knowledge is required to follow the procedure. It is particularly necessary to investigate or check whether the procedure applies in the situation. Automatic application of procedures is mindless and potentially dangerous.

Example: Maintenance of a car requires regularly following procedures laid down by the manufacturer. However, the condition of the car is different for every case and an inquiring attitude is essential as part of implementing the procedures.

Alternatives

Following procedures activates other elements of action-PH1. However, it does intrinsically involve instituting change-RL3, using experience-RL4, communicating-RL5, having purposes-PH6, or being willing-R7—apart from these functions necessarily operating within inquiry (e.g. intuition).

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• Continue to explore all PH-L3's.

Initially posted: 27-Jul-2013. Last amended 11-Jan-2023