Use of the Term "Primal"

Background

In developing the Taxonomy, it seemed at times that inquiries were touching on something absolutely fundamental. The adjective "Primal" was then applied.

In this section of the website, the term Primal has figured frequently:

  • In the main terms used for Domain Fundamentals: Primal Vehicle, Primal Effect and Primal Field.
  • In the analysis of the Domain Controls through its focus on Primal Means and Primal Needs.

In this Topic, other taxonomic elements and entities using the label "primal" will be listed and explained.

  • Primal Roles (sPH6)
  • Primal Quests (RH')
  • Primal Injunctions (RH")

The goal of this review is a better understanding, with potentially the development of rules that limit the application of the term.

Primal Vehicle, Primal Effect & Primal Field

In attempting to conceptualize the Taxonomy, it has been divided into systems of personal functioning called Domains.

These Domains possess certain Fundamentals and these have been conceptualized using Primal as a label. There is a Primal Vehicle PH•K, a Primal Effect PsH•, and a Primal Field PsH•K, whose details can be reviewed here.

General formulae are used because we are not dealing with observable taxonomic entities. These are generic concepts to capture taxonomic structures which share a common Domain location.

NOTE: It may be a preferable label is Domain Vehicle for PH•K, Domain Effect for PsH•, and Domain Field for PsH•K.

Primal Means & Primal Needs

In order to survive and to act responsibly (in terms of the Primal Roles explained below), we each must function as a person. That means using THEE via its Domains. In doing so, these Domains of functioning have to be controlled. Terms to describe this control have been developed.

Personal functioning has an end or goal: to meet a very basic and universal human need, called now the Primal Need. At the Root, this is to thrive on life, and each Domain has its own specific Primal Need that supports this. There is no generic formula for the Primal Need. But its determinants are captured by the Control Vehicle (PH'•CK).

To meet a Primal Need, a person (or human social system) uses the Domain Fundamental Triplet as the Means. However, this functioning can be strengthened considerably through use of the Primal Means (PH'•C). The nature of this Primal Means is that it can entail functioning in an extremely primitive, virtually reflex, fashion, or it can entail functioning in an extremely sophisticated way. To move from naive to sophisticated functioning requires effort and takes places in Stages.

Primal Roles

This category emerged during the discovery and development of the 6th Primary Structural Hierarchy (PsH6) which is about realizing values in a community.

The 1st Grouping (G1) involves Defining Responsibility and does so via the 7 Levels of Purpose. The Primal Roles correspond to each of these Responsibilities, as shown in the Table below. Every person potentially and actually fills all of the Primal Roles in some way on some occasions in some situations.

PsH6 Responsibility
Primal Role Responsible to:
G17 Ultimate values Human Being God (Humanity)
G16 Value systems Adherent Value system (Tribe)
G15 Social values Participant Social Group(Community)
G14 Principal objects Individual
Oneself (Family/Created group)
G13 Internal priorities Governor Members (in Organised Groups)
G12 Strategic objectives Leader Followers
G11 Tactical objectives Agent Employer

Note that the Primal Roles handle the lowest level in the emergent original Tree framework that deals with worthwhile projects (PH6K) and ultimately benefits from playing a part in community evolution (PsH6K). So the Primal Roles are what we rely on for social existence.

Primal Roles are distinguished as properties of humanity and more fundamental than «social roles» that are determined by specific groups or society, and chosen roles or roles-taken-in-practice which are personal.

Primal Quests & Primal Injunctions

The Better Self frameworks are built on the Root Typology that emerges from RHL6-Purpose. This Typology describes alternative ways to optimize a life of endeavours. The purpose-system that governs choices of endeavours has been called a Primal Quest-RH'.

The Root Hierarchy-RH, Levels of Will-RH, and Personal Endeavour-RHK) are fundamental to living but rather obvious. The term "Primal" was applied to the Quests because they seem both difficult to grasp and yet absolutely fundamental for finding happiness and meaning in life.

There is also a Tertiary Hierarchy-RH" (within the 6th Quest) which is discussed further under Ethical Controls. Its levels are rules that correspond with the Quests and are similarly hard to grasp yet essential for humanity. So the term "Primal" was once again applied:  Primal Injunctions-RH".

ClosedSee Table of Quest & Injunction Names:

Conclusion

At this stage, it seems premature to draw any conclusions. So I will not make any changes or recommendations.


Originally posted:  4-Sep-2016. Last amended: 15-Jan-2023.