I believe that this article can lead to a useful dialogue on basic assumptions that can help us better understand one another.
Showing posts with label assumptions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label assumptions. Show all posts
Friday, June 8, 2012
What's Fairness Got to do with Obeying the Law? | Aaron Ross Powell | Libertarianism.org
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Dialogue is Important
What are you willing to say about dialogue or about communication in general? Are you willing to suggest definitions for either? Below are thoughts which come to my mind as I consider dialogue today. Questions are thoughts too aren't they?
Shared meaning is the cement that holds society together. Consider meanings. What is the meaning of meaning? What is the meaning of society? What is the state of our mutual understanding of meaning?
Do we agree on what holds meaning for us? How do we share meaning? What are the better ways of sharing meaning? What is the nature of our society?
Have you ever seen members of a group become frustrated as they try to share meaning? Does sharing meaning frighten you? Are you afraid that your assumptions may be revealed and challenged? Others are. They seek a leader or a protector. They may just walk away.
What if a group is so democratic that it has no leader? If the group is very democratic there may be a great deal of equality felt among its members. I seem to be less fearful among those who respect me as an equal. What is the source of equality?
Talk, communication, dialogue seems a principle way of sharing meaning. Democracy seems to be a step toward open speech.
I think that the practice of dialogue skills can support democracy and the sharing of meaning. I believe that I am still willing to accept some frustration in my life in order to support the sharing of meaning through dialogue. There is a reason for dialogue. It is what helps us to to be an us. It is important.
We benefit by keeping in mind how important dialogue is. If we don't, we begin to think and say: What's the point? This is too much trouble, Let's give it up. It's not getting us anywhere.
Dialogue is as important as important as earning money. Without a healthy society money loses its value. Shared meaning holds society together. Dialogue is an effective way to share meaning.
Dialogue is important.
Shared meaning is the cement that holds society together. Consider meanings. What is the meaning of meaning? What is the meaning of society? What is the state of our mutual understanding of meaning?
Do we agree on what holds meaning for us? How do we share meaning? What are the better ways of sharing meaning? What is the nature of our society?
Have you ever seen members of a group become frustrated as they try to share meaning? Does sharing meaning frighten you? Are you afraid that your assumptions may be revealed and challenged? Others are. They seek a leader or a protector. They may just walk away.
What if a group is so democratic that it has no leader? If the group is very democratic there may be a great deal of equality felt among its members. I seem to be less fearful among those who respect me as an equal. What is the source of equality?
Talk, communication, dialogue seems a principle way of sharing meaning. Democracy seems to be a step toward open speech.
I think that the practice of dialogue skills can support democracy and the sharing of meaning. I believe that I am still willing to accept some frustration in my life in order to support the sharing of meaning through dialogue. There is a reason for dialogue. It is what helps us to to be an us. It is important.
We benefit by keeping in mind how important dialogue is. If we don't, we begin to think and say: What's the point? This is too much trouble, Let's give it up. It's not getting us anywhere.
Dialogue is as important as important as earning money. Without a healthy society money loses its value. Shared meaning holds society together. Dialogue is an effective way to share meaning.
Dialogue is important.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Way to Talk
It seems to me that we can benefit from learning a more productive way to talk about that which is important to us.
If you were here I'd ask you to help me name various ways of talking.
Debate is one of them. I think of it as a bit like war. One important aim of debate is winning. The idea seems to be to best an opponent. Producing a win is not the kind of production which interests me here.
My aim in the kind of talk which interests me here is to better understand those with whom I converse. I want to understand them and their views on a deeper level. I want a better understanding of their values and assumptions. I want to better appreciate how they feel about it. I want to be clear about what it is.
I also want to be understood and appreciated.
Debate does not seem to be the best vehicle for such understanding.
Chat is another kind of talk. Chat may go on without dealing with views, values, or assumptions.
Conversation is a great kind of talk and I enjoy it greatly. However, our conversation may not deal well with strongly felt differences, and can lead to argument. Arguments may turn to debate or to verbal fight.
Discussion seems, like conversation, to be kind of talk between chat and debate. Discussion seems to tend toward persuasion. It often includes the intent to persuade.
The purpose of of the kind of talk which interests me here is about persuasion. The way of talking which interests me here is not about persuasion. I am not interested in persuading or in being persuaded.
My purpose is to to understand and to, perhaps, be understood.
I have been calling this way to talk dialogue
If you were here I'd ask you to help me name various ways of talking.
Debate is one of them. I think of it as a bit like war. One important aim of debate is winning. The idea seems to be to best an opponent. Producing a win is not the kind of production which interests me here.
My aim in the kind of talk which interests me here is to better understand those with whom I converse. I want to understand them and their views on a deeper level. I want a better understanding of their values and assumptions. I want to better appreciate how they feel about it. I want to be clear about what it is.
I also want to be understood and appreciated.
Debate does not seem to be the best vehicle for such understanding.
Chat is another kind of talk. Chat may go on without dealing with views, values, or assumptions.
Conversation is a great kind of talk and I enjoy it greatly. However, our conversation may not deal well with strongly felt differences, and can lead to argument. Arguments may turn to debate or to verbal fight.
Discussion seems, like conversation, to be kind of talk between chat and debate. Discussion seems to tend toward persuasion. It often includes the intent to persuade.
The purpose of of the kind of talk which interests me here is about persuasion. The way of talking which interests me here is not about persuasion. I am not interested in persuading or in being persuaded.
My purpose is to to understand and to, perhaps, be understood.
I have been calling this way to talk dialogue
Thursday, March 17, 2011
Assumptions? continued
Earlier I began to look at my budding understanding of the nature of our assumptions. Below I continue to bud without flowering. I continue in the expectation of sweet fruit.
I believe that I have an assumption of which I am unaware. I believe that I have adopted an assumption without realizing that I had done so. I suspect that you and I have assumptions that neither of us are aware of. I feel certain that you have an assumption that I am unaware of. How might the state of our knowledge of our assumptions effect our understanding? How might it effect the quality of our communication? I remember hearing one person say to another, "I don't get where you're coming from." I now understand the person was probably indicating that he didn't know the other person's assumptions and so could not put his opinions into perspective.
Even though I am pretty sure that there are assumptions of which I am unaware, the fact is that I am also pretty sure that I am well aware of many of my own assumptions and some of yours too. That awareness of assumptions helps(allows us)to communicate. The greater our awareness of each others awareness the better we can communicate. It also helps me when I am aware of my own assumption.
I remember my elders saying, "Define your terms." Defining terms doesn't exactly get a a person's assumptions, but it seems to be a move in that direction.
A friend of mine was having a relationship problem. In a discussion his significant other had several times said that she thought that he did not love her. Finally she said to him that he did not know what what love was. So, he asked her what she meant by love. Then she asked him what he meant by love. Their discussion about the meaning of 'love' lasted, on and off, for a couple of days. In those two days they came to understand and respect each other more that they ever had. It looked like love. They were lucky. Maybe they knew something about 'fair fighting.' I think that they probably uncovered an assumption or two.
An assumption is a bit like underwear. Putting on your underwear may be called assuming your underwear. After you putting them on you usually give them little thought. You probably don't typically spend much time thinking about the underwear of other people. Without thinking much about it, you might suppose that theirs is much like yours. That may, or may not, be the fact. You could be making an unconscious mistake. That mistake could lead to future difficulty. It is possible to make an unconscious assumption and then to act a though it were a fact.
You'd think that the world was complicated enough without assumptions. But aren't you glad that the cook from whom you order a cheeseburger doesn't assume that you want cheese ground up to look like burger?
His assumptions about the nature of a cheeseburger may not be exactly like yours, but they are often good enough. Thank goodness that we do clarify some of our assumptions
I believe that I have an assumption of which I am unaware. I believe that I have adopted an assumption without realizing that I had done so. I suspect that you and I have assumptions that neither of us are aware of. I feel certain that you have an assumption that I am unaware of. How might the state of our knowledge of our assumptions effect our understanding? How might it effect the quality of our communication? I remember hearing one person say to another, "I don't get where you're coming from." I now understand the person was probably indicating that he didn't know the other person's assumptions and so could not put his opinions into perspective.
Even though I am pretty sure that there are assumptions of which I am unaware, the fact is that I am also pretty sure that I am well aware of many of my own assumptions and some of yours too. That awareness of assumptions helps(allows us)to communicate. The greater our awareness of each others awareness the better we can communicate. It also helps me when I am aware of my own assumption.
I remember my elders saying, "Define your terms." Defining terms doesn't exactly get a a person's assumptions, but it seems to be a move in that direction.
A friend of mine was having a relationship problem. In a discussion his significant other had several times said that she thought that he did not love her. Finally she said to him that he did not know what what love was. So, he asked her what she meant by love. Then she asked him what he meant by love. Their discussion about the meaning of 'love' lasted, on and off, for a couple of days. In those two days they came to understand and respect each other more that they ever had. It looked like love. They were lucky. Maybe they knew something about 'fair fighting.' I think that they probably uncovered an assumption or two.
An assumption is a bit like underwear. Putting on your underwear may be called assuming your underwear. After you putting them on you usually give them little thought. You probably don't typically spend much time thinking about the underwear of other people. Without thinking much about it, you might suppose that theirs is much like yours. That may, or may not, be the fact. You could be making an unconscious mistake. That mistake could lead to future difficulty. It is possible to make an unconscious assumption and then to act a though it were a fact.
You'd think that the world was complicated enough without assumptions. But aren't you glad that the cook from whom you order a cheeseburger doesn't assume that you want cheese ground up to look like burger?
His assumptions about the nature of a cheeseburger may not be exactly like yours, but they are often good enough. Thank goodness that we do clarify some of our assumptions
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Assumptions?
I think that they are important enough to learn more about.
What can you tell me about assumptions?
What is an assumption
What does one do with an assumption?
How can I find out what an assumption is about?
What is a assumption good for? What's it bad for?
Is an assumption likely to be an unconscious act?
Is there one wiggling around in my head right now?
What part do assumptions play in your life?
What part do they play in mine?
Can what I don't know about assumptions hurt me?
I suspect that a person I know may have an unimaginable assumption.
I bet someone I know someone who has an assumption she hasn't imagined.
I think that your assumption is worthy of consideration.
Why might it be a good idea to discover, explore, observe, study, and analyze an assumption?
Could an assumption of mine get in your way?
Could it get in my way?
Have you ever heard of anyone calling an assumption a prompter? I have, once.
An assumption may be presumptive or contrary to fact, may it not?
Have you heard that an assumption:
~ is often an idea, fact, or set of thoughts taken up or taken in with little or no conscious consideration?
~ can be an idea or point of view taken as granted or true?
~ of yours is the likely source or basis for opinions of yours?
~ is often or usually unconscious?
~ may have begun to form in your infant mind before you learned to speak?
Her assumptions may be so different from yours that they seem truly alien or bizarre to you. Might some of yours seem that way to her?
You can learn to better know an assumption of another, and that other can come to appreciate one of yours.
Coming to more useful knowledge understanding, and appreciation of assumptions takes dialogue experience.
It will probably entail learning new communication skills and learning just a bit more about how you and others think.
What can you tell me about assumptions?
What is an assumption
What does one do with an assumption?
How can I find out what an assumption is about?
What is a assumption good for? What's it bad for?
Is an assumption likely to be an unconscious act?
Is there one wiggling around in my head right now?
What part do assumptions play in your life?
What part do they play in mine?
Can what I don't know about assumptions hurt me?
I suspect that a person I know may have an unimaginable assumption.
I bet someone I know someone who has an assumption she hasn't imagined.
I think that your assumption is worthy of consideration.
Why might it be a good idea to discover, explore, observe, study, and analyze an assumption?
Could an assumption of mine get in your way?
Could it get in my way?
Have you ever heard of anyone calling an assumption a prompter? I have, once.
An assumption may be presumptive or contrary to fact, may it not?
Have you heard that an assumption:
~ is often an idea, fact, or set of thoughts taken up or taken in with little or no conscious consideration?
~ can be an idea or point of view taken as granted or true?
~ of yours is the likely source or basis for opinions of yours?
~ is often or usually unconscious?
~ may have begun to form in your infant mind before you learned to speak?
Her assumptions may be so different from yours that they seem truly alien or bizarre to you. Might some of yours seem that way to her?
You can learn to better know an assumption of another, and that other can come to appreciate one of yours.
Coming to more useful knowledge understanding, and appreciation of assumptions takes dialogue experience.
It will probably entail learning new communication skills and learning just a bit more about how you and others think.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
An Approach to Assumptions Related to Society
Consider assumptions.
In trying to understand the other man's point of view I have found it useful to take into account my own assumptions as well as his. Often a pertinent assumption is unknown to me. Yes, it happens. The unknown assumption may be mine or his. An assumption may be locked in a part of the mind not easily accessed.
There are probably assumptions in his mind that have never entered mine.
We humans form societies. Often we do so unconsciously. However, there may come a time we will want to form a society consciously. A society is our way of working and living together. A society uses rules, laws, institutions, etc. Rules, laws, institutions are based on assumptions we hold. We may get or assume the rules etc. by thinking and agreeing that we are going to have them, and then we do it. Backing up our thinking, agreeing and doing is culture. Culture is shared meaning, shared assumptions. Much of that sharing is done through communication. Talk is an important form of communication. You have noticed that some persons seem better at talk than others. There are levels of communication skill. There is a set of communications skills that some have called dialogue. It turns out that these dialogue skills are particularly useful for bringing assumptions to light.
As a dramatic example, let's say that a diverse set of people desire to set up a government. I order to do so they will find it useful to agree to a common meaning for the kind of government they want. They are likel to need to agree on what a good government is or on what is the right sort of government for them. Different cultures will produce different governments. If they don't agree they will have a political struggle. If their politics don't work, they may have a civil war.
Disagreeable may arise do to their ignorance of each others assumptions. Dialogue that brings assumptions to light could prevent bloodshed.
Society is based on shared meanings. Shared meanings constitute the culture. Culture may be built or strengthen with education and communication. There is a wide choice of education and communication methods and styles. Not all of the are of equal effectiveness. To make a good and effective society we must learn to share coherent meaning well enough.
Today our larger society seems to have an incoherent meanings. Too often, what the other man is saying seems impossible to understand. This lack of understanding, it seems to me, is worth talking about.
Important talk, difficult talk, may be made easier by using dialogue skills that help us better understand each others assumptions.
In trying to understand the other man's point of view I have found it useful to take into account my own assumptions as well as his. Often a pertinent assumption is unknown to me. Yes, it happens. The unknown assumption may be mine or his. An assumption may be locked in a part of the mind not easily accessed.
There are probably assumptions in his mind that have never entered mine.
We humans form societies. Often we do so unconsciously. However, there may come a time we will want to form a society consciously. A society is our way of working and living together. A society uses rules, laws, institutions, etc. Rules, laws, institutions are based on assumptions we hold. We may get or assume the rules etc. by thinking and agreeing that we are going to have them, and then we do it. Backing up our thinking, agreeing and doing is culture. Culture is shared meaning, shared assumptions. Much of that sharing is done through communication. Talk is an important form of communication. You have noticed that some persons seem better at talk than others. There are levels of communication skill. There is a set of communications skills that some have called dialogue. It turns out that these dialogue skills are particularly useful for bringing assumptions to light.
As a dramatic example, let's say that a diverse set of people desire to set up a government. I order to do so they will find it useful to agree to a common meaning for the kind of government they want. They are likel to need to agree on what a good government is or on what is the right sort of government for them. Different cultures will produce different governments. If they don't agree they will have a political struggle. If their politics don't work, they may have a civil war.
Disagreeable may arise do to their ignorance of each others assumptions. Dialogue that brings assumptions to light could prevent bloodshed.
Society is based on shared meanings. Shared meanings constitute the culture. Culture may be built or strengthen with education and communication. There is a wide choice of education and communication methods and styles. Not all of the are of equal effectiveness. To make a good and effective society we must learn to share coherent meaning well enough.
Today our larger society seems to have an incoherent meanings. Too often, what the other man is saying seems impossible to understand. This lack of understanding, it seems to me, is worth talking about.
Important talk, difficult talk, may be made easier by using dialogue skills that help us better understand each others assumptions.
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Eveyen Morozov
I may be returning to my childhood reading faults. I remember reading a neat book about a guy with a bow and arrow. I tried to tell someone about it, but was having trouble. I couldn't recall or had never learned the title of the book nor the name of its author. I was ask for the name of the guy. I couldn't name the protagonist. It was Robinhood or something like that.
A Russian thinker has written a book in English
about the effect of human manipulation of the internet on their world.
With lots of wonderful examples from the way the world of nations, NGOs,individuals are using the internet, he seems to be suggesting that we have a lot to learn about using the www effectively.
One of the points he may be making is that principles and assumptions ought to be well clarified before Internet tools are applied to policy.
He is trying to help us remember the value of first principles and first assumptions.
Practical suggestions he seems to be making
include:
1. know yourself
2. know your audience
3. know your objective
2. know your tools
3. clarify the knowing among yourselves.
A flying review of what people are saying about the book on the Internet makes me think that Morozov probably feels he is attempting to communicate with ants.
A Russian thinker has written a book in English
about the effect of human manipulation of the internet on their world.
With lots of wonderful examples from the way the world of nations, NGOs,individuals are using the internet, he seems to be suggesting that we have a lot to learn about using the www effectively.
One of the points he may be making is that principles and assumptions ought to be well clarified before Internet tools are applied to policy.
He is trying to help us remember the value of first principles and first assumptions.
Practical suggestions he seems to be making
include:
1. know yourself
2. know your audience
3. know your objective
2. know your tools
3. clarify the knowing among yourselves.
A flying review of what people are saying about the book on the Internet makes me think that Morozov probably feels he is attempting to communicate with ants.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Republicans and Democrats
We'd be better off if Republicans better understood Democrats and Democrats better understood Republicans.
There are people who say, "Oh, I understand them alright." and they do, at certain levels. However, many impasses can become passes when deeper assumptions are better understood. Good dialogue is one way to get to that understanding.
There are people who say, "Oh, I understand them alright." and they do, at certain levels. However, many impasses can become passes when deeper assumptions are better understood. Good dialogue is one way to get to that understanding.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
As a Nation, As a People
We can do little to act as a we until we tell each other what we want.We need to do better at carrying on an ongoing civic dialogue. When half of us no longer know the defining assumptions of the other half there is no way we can come to an understanding.We need to learn ad practice dialogue skills the majority has never know.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
I Affirm
~ I am ready and willing to learn to be healthy and virtuous for the fun of it here.
~ I can be pleased by a better knowledge of my feelings and emotions here.
~ I am willing to develop a clear answerable question today.
~ Self knowing is good knowing here.
~ I aim to be pleased to be aware of my motive here.
~ I am willing to make observations which will help me answer my question today.
~ I am ready to learn to let myself be motivated by joy and bliss here.
~ I am ready to learn to do it for pleasure and happiness here.
~ I am willing to make my observation in a calm unbiased manner today.
~ I am ready to learn to identify an assumption of mine here.
~ I am willing to clarify my theory today.
~ I am ready to learn to note that I begin with a set of assumptions, beliefs, generalizations here.
~ I am willing to clarify my assumptions, beliefs, and generalizations today.
~ I begin from a base of experience and observations here.
~ I am ready to learn to clarify my assumptions by defining my terms here.
~ I can be pleased by a better knowledge of my feelings and emotions here.
~ I am willing to develop a clear answerable question today.
~ Self knowing is good knowing here.
~ I aim to be pleased to be aware of my motive here.
~ I am willing to make observations which will help me answer my question today.
~ I am ready to learn to let myself be motivated by joy and bliss here.
~ I am ready to learn to do it for pleasure and happiness here.
~ I am willing to make my observation in a calm unbiased manner today.
~ I am ready to learn to identify an assumption of mine here.
~ I am willing to clarify my theory today.
~ I am ready to learn to note that I begin with a set of assumptions, beliefs, generalizations here.
~ I am willing to clarify my assumptions, beliefs, and generalizations today.
~ I begin from a base of experience and observations here.
~ I am ready to learn to clarify my assumptions by defining my terms here.
Tuesday, August 10, 2010
The Object of Dialogue
The object of the the kind of dialogue which interests me is to listen to every one's opinions. The object is not to judge, analyze, or even to exchange opinions. The object is to listen and begin to see what it all means. The object is to come to share a common content.The object is not to agree, but rather to simply share an appreciation of the meanings.
The aim is to look at everything together and to acknowledge a participatory consciousness; each partaking of the whole meaning. Everyone aims to understand all the assumptions in the group.
The aim is to leave as little out as possible., to share common meaning, and create common meaning. In a way, a common mind arises which does not exclude the individual. The meanings of each person are seen.
Each is free. Individual mind and collective mind are both honored. Individual mind is firs as it attempts a harmony with the whole. AS move into as new creativity is begun.
The aim is to look at everything together and to acknowledge a participatory consciousness; each partaking of the whole meaning. Everyone aims to understand all the assumptions in the group.
The aim is to leave as little out as possible., to share common meaning, and create common meaning. In a way, a common mind arises which does not exclude the individual. The meanings of each person are seen.
Each is free. Individual mind and collective mind are both honored. Individual mind is firs as it attempts a harmony with the whole. AS move into as new creativity is begun.
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