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Outline for Life IS book 2/4/17
Forward: Aaron Gire summary In separate doc
Personal Forward – Norm and Skye Hirst 1
A preface of Norm Hirst’s Inquiry History 1
Breakthrough references: 4
To get through the mechanistic deadlock to further understanding requires a new foundation of
philosophy with matching logic. 4
Towards a science of life as creative organism, we consider the following topics: 4
1. Life as fundamental and creative, not matter
2. The characteristics of life as organisms and organismic functioning
3. Foundations for a new organismic philosophy and formalism
4. Logic (Early Formalism) of Organisms
Prologue 5
A new age of understanding Life as organism, we speculate 5
These principles reveal how individual life-forms are both autonomous and connected 5
An Abductive Hypotheses 5
• Life-itself is a primordial matrix, an originating force out of which living entities are
formed and manifest.
• Living entities are self-creating according to the laws of Life-itself
• These laws, although they are in process of being discovered, would appear to be
foundational, epi ordering processes through which living entities manifest.
Section I 6
Ok. What is Life? 6
Life means the organizing principles that are creating all forms of life. 7
Life is Sui generis 7
Life means organisms - Organism/NOT/computers 7-8
Life means structured energy in the Sea of Dirac (pre-space) 8
2
Old and Emerging Worldviews; how they contrast 8
Process 8
Non-living, living processes 9
What we perceive depends on what we think. 9
What will the new mind (new paradigm) be? 10
Our goal has been to make the nature and requirements of life-itself more fully
conscious. 11
The use of force and violence to control the world leads to less freedom that ultimately erupts
in more violence. A downward spiral occurs when attempts to control life with more laws,
more restrictions, a narrow interpretation of "rule of law" are used in the belief that control will
restore order during such times of violence. As soldiers worldwide are discovering, more is
accomplished by winning "hearts and minds" than by using force and rules.
The current dominant worldview cannot support life (manifest living entities) 11
Spiral Dynamics” by Don Beck and Chris Cowan. Levels of human development 11
What role might you have in shaping where it is going? 13
Supporting the individual shift is a quiet revolution occurring in sciences, philosophy,
and religion. 13
Section II 14
From where has the Current World View of Western Thought come - what formed that
dominant perspective impacting economies, cultures, science, & religions? 14
Beverly Rubik quote 14
Paradigm, what do we mean? (See T. Kuhn's 1962 Book, The Structure of Scientific
Revolutions for deeper explanation) 14
What happens during such major shifts 15
Some terms clarification for further discourse 16
Newtonian mechanism 16
What is science? 16
Science is formal theory development (sign or
symbol system) applied to subject matter
(philosophies) 16
3
“Form of function” 16
organizing laws of the forms of function 17
Science requires both head and heart 17
Philosophy and science complementary 17
What is philosophy? 17
What is Metaphysics?: insert definition- see
Whitehead and Hartshorn
What is theory 17
Philosophies and Metaphysics that have shaped our current worldview 18
Our current worldview is based on “Substance” Philosophy 18
Background of Philosophy/Science development: 18
Rescher’s contrast Process and Substance Metaphysics 18-19
Substance concepts explained 19
Above set of philosophical assumptions gave rise to the theory of
reductionism 19
In the domain of discourse in Western Science, everything that is observed
is or is reduced to passive particles and force. It has no living entities in it.
The foundation science is physics. 20
Sciences (Physics, Newtonian) that have formed current worldview. 20
Given the reductionistic philosophical foundations, science developed in
the following ways. 20
What is science? How does it form and shape thought and actions?
We'd like to distinguish here what is Science and what is Not Science 20
Hutchins Quote 21
The sign system for physics is mathematics 21
Scientific statements are about the organizing principles of
processes 21
Two kinds of process; non-living and living 21
The difference between scientific knowledge and other kinds of
knowledge is the difference between how and what 21
4
Way down deep we have committed ourselves to "thing"
metaphysics 21
Actually we do not live in a world of things 22
I want to provide a little example of how science works 22
What they are looking for in their observations, laboratory
or not, is a falsifying instance. 22
I am trying to portray a condition of science. 23
1. All the laws have to fit together in a coherent whole. 23
2. The scientific formalism displays the connectedness and
the coherence 23
3. Working with the formalism can, and often does, reveal
new law 23
Two Dramatic cases follow 23
1. Maxwell’s equations leading to electromagnetic
waves. 24
2 Revolutionary advances in science often require
prior revolutionary advances in the formalism 23
In English concepts are analytic. In mathematics they are synthetic. 24
Analytic concepts are learned from experience by abstraction. 24
Synthetic concepts are constructed; have exact meaning that they want to say 24
By this paradigm, to understand a living organism, accepted scientific protocol
requires taking it apart to get at the basic components that function as mechanisms.
Mechanisms are processes prearranged to produce certain results given certain inputs
Biophysist Mae-Wan Ho’s book, The Rainbow and the Worm, 1998 speaks of
organismic nature not mechanistic 25
From the “substance” metaphysics – we got classic logics to materialism 25
Characteristics of Traditional Logics: 25
Results of materialism: 25-26
Psychologist, E. Rosch characterized perception based on materialism worldview of
knowledge as follows 26
5
Consequences of this old world-view (to be written) 26
This needs careful work to add current events also see section on Applications
and Implications 26
Section III Overview of New Mind 26
We need to grow a new mind; A Synergy of Society, Science and Spirituality 26
1. Overview of New mind; What will be New Mind? 26
2. What is needed to support life?
3. What is needed are a new metaphysics and a new logic?
4. What will the new mind be?
1. Overview of New Mind Foundations 27
A.. Philosophical/process metaphysics (Whitehead) 27
B .Semiotics (Peirce) 27
C.Process (Theology) Panentheism (Hartshorn) 28
D.Theoretical Biology (Rosen, Salthe, Hamann) 28
E New ways of thinking (new logics) (Foundations of knowledge) 28
Our concern here will be the ability of formal systems to express ideas which have never
before been expressed and which can not be expressed in language or logics as we have known
them.
Formal logic and mathematics are both examples of formal
reasoning. 29
Need for LIVING logics, final cause, & values 30
Organization: 30
Logic -Traditionally logic has been based on propositions. 30
Limits in traditional extensional Logics: 30
LOGICS Intensional and Extensional further Defined:30
Intensional logic - logic with consequences based on meaning
30
Intensional logic is based on a triadic system of complete signs,
entailing a symbol, a reference to something, and a meaning.
6
Extensional logic - logic with form (logic form) only 31
Foundations of Knowledge non-life sciences / life sciences 31
Reductionism needs revision: What about Aristotle’s “final”
cause 31
Rosen gives a Heads Up on Final Cause: 32
What is required to make sense of Final Cause? 32
What is required is the ability to formalize self-referential relations,
relations of relations, entailments of entailments. 34
Need for LIVING logics, final cause, & values
A Autopoiesis 32
B Formal Axiology: Hartman Axiology is the theory of value. 33
The Laws of Values: 34
Are there natural laws of value? 34
There are three kinds of value; intrinsic, extrinsic and systemic: 34
Remarkably, the three kinds of value are related to the three levels of
Peirce’s Semiotics; firstness, secondness and thirdness. 34
Union of International Organizations UIA 34-35
To understand values requires changing from a thing perspective to a
process perspective 35
In the composition of reality we find both perspectives.
There is both what there is and what is being done. 35
Reality as available for our experience comes about in a
cyclic process. First, there is what there is. Then there
are acts made possible by what there is which create a
new what there is leading to new possible acts. Each
moment of “what there is,” we call facts. The facts will make
a spectrum of acts possible. The final choice of acts is based
on values. 35
Logics we have known are appropriate to the mechanics of fact. 37
The logic of value is functional, not propositional 36
Functions express transformations. It doesn’t make sense to say that a
transformation is true or false. Thus we need to rid ourselves of our past
notions of logic and begin anew. 37
7
I suggest that different value words actually refer to different
functions. 36
Hartman defined ‘good’ 36
• The intension of a concept is a set of attributes that make up the
meaning of the concept.
• The extension of a concept is a set of objects to which the
concept applies.
• ‘Good’ might be applied to a member of the extension if its
attributes fulfill the intension.
Traditionally definitions of ‘good’ have been given in terms of
states of affairs that someone considered good. Value has been
defined as the greatest good for the greatest number. In this way
there is clearly room for much difference of opinion. There will
never be agreement with this approach.
The central question of Autognomics has been whether or not
the processes of life have a different logic from those logics we
have known? If so, does it help us understand values? The
answers are a resounding “yes” to both questions.
Therefore we use logic of value and logic of sign processes for
Logic of Life.
The logic of life involves much that the traditions of logical
inquiry rejected. For example; self-reference and paradox and the
fact that the logic of life is creative rather than truth preserving. I
suggest that the logic of life actually involves two complementary
families of logics that function together to manifest life as we know
it. One of those families of logics is the logic of value.
C. Central to the logic of life is the logic of sign processes or
semiotics as put forth by Charles Peirce 37
Semiotics talks about signs involving both an object and an
interpretation 37
Thus we might re-word Hartman’s definition. ‘Good’ now
becomes a matter of sign interpretations.
Aciologial Fallacies (Hartman Structure of Value) 38
8
Section IV-A 38
Steps for Advancing Knowledge (What theory should be like) 40
See other papers by Norm
Scholars Invitation
World Crisis
Propositions
How a science is formed (the development of a new language or sign system) The following is an
outline of work to be done 38
Science follows philosophy. Usually about 2500 years of philosophical observation occurs before formalization develops that helps us know what to do with the observation 39
Habits to be challenged: 40
***The Power of Formalisms, Logic and Mathematics: 41
(Possibly to be used as primary outline of book/paper)
i. Logic and Mathematics 42
ii. Contemporary Science 42
iii. Organizing Principles Organizing Principles are principles that
maximize freedom while minimizing chaos 43
iv. Research Goals 44
v. Science: We believe that living process is organized by natural laws.
The goal of science is discovery and articulation of natural laws. 44
We will argue that quantum phenomena are at a pre-habitual level of
physical `reality and thus are closer to the laws of living process.` 47
vi. Working the Transition 45
• the difference between philosophy and science is a difference in methods of inquiry
• the methods of inquiry are complementary
• the methods can be, and should be, applied to the same subject matter
• the methods of philosophy are analytic and inductive
• the methods of science are synthetic and deductive
• for any given subject matter the initial inquiry must be philosophical
• science can only begin when philosophical inquiry has sufficiently matured
9
Thus in proposing a transition to science I am also proposing that philosophy has sufficiently matured.
45
1. As a first step in building a science we begin constructing the domain of discourse 45
Simultaneously we need to develop a suitable formalism 46
Suddenly we see that laws of logic that have held since Aristotle are merely special cases suitable for
building logics of restricted application, e.g., application to non-living domains. Now our minds can
be freed to pursue alternative patterns of thought once seen as impossible.
For example, “actors” will replace particles, signs will replace symbols, acts will replace attributes,
and so forth.
2. As a second step in building a science we begin constructing a formal theory of the subject
matter 46
Two Chilean biologists, Maturana and Varela, founded Autopoiesis. It defines the
conditions on process by which a living organism can both create and maintain itself in a state
of autonomy in a constantly changing ecological niche. 46
Axiology is the theory of value. Here we choose the work of Robert Hartman who was
transforming axiology from value philosophy to value science. His formal definitions of Intrinsic,
Extrinsic and Systemic value and the laws relating them explain many puzzles. 46
vii. A Synthesis Our experiences and perceptions are co-created by ongoing interactions or, in the
words of Floyd Merrell, interdependent interrelations, between that external reality and our selves.
Thus we should ask, what do we bring to this co-creation and how does what we bring effect our
experience and perceptions? 46
We all are born into a language using community from which we all learn a whole
system of starting assumptions 46
Right now we, the people of the world, are in a transition phase of conscious revision. The
system of starting assumptions that has served for twenty-five centuries has begun to fail. Two
indicators of the failure are the peculiarities of quantum physics and crises in the foundations of
mathematics that occurred around the beginning of this century. More spectacularly we find social
institutions beginning to fail. 47
There are two disciplines primarily concerned with systems of starting assumptions. They are
philosophical metaphysics and logic 49
viii. Process Metaphysics 47 (more detail here adding to description earlier)
viv On Reforming Logic 48
We want to form a logic of process. Central to the notion of process is the idea of what is
being done, or acts, rather than what is. The importance of “what is” will arise later as a
condition on what can be done. Can logic be expressed strictly in terms of acts? Yes, it
can be. 48
10
To illustrate we turn to what is now known as combinatory logic. 49-50
ix. Some Conclusions on logics 50
Combinator approaches introduce us to some profound differences. First, to study
more traditional logical notions, known as illative notions, a pure combinator framework is
established and then illative operators are adjoined. There are many illative systems being
studied. One particular issue concerns rules of inference. 53
I believe a most important next step is to combine semiotics with Rosen’s work. My
reason is that semiotic processes take on a life of their own in what may be a primordial
matrix. *** 54
Section IV-B (The following is Repetition on many points as talked about above, but some
additional ideas here need to be brought out from this section) 51
Steps towards a New Science - A new Mind: 51
(Another description of process described in above section” power of formalism”)` 55
1. As a first step in building a science we begin by constructing the domain of discourse Thus
we begin with the sister disciplines, process metaphysics and the logic of formalisms or
epi-logic 52
2. .As a second step, we begin constructing a formal theory of the subject matter, i.e., living
processes. 52
-Three such disciplines are autopoiesis, axiology and semiotics.
-Also, the work of Robert Rosen and the work of, biophysicist, Mae Wan Ho.
SubjectMatter: Living processes “laws” being identified and expressed are
emerging from disciplines listed below for identifying “subject matter” 52-53
The Laws of Value, natural inherent hierarchical capacities for valuing
Laws of Learning, knowing what and how we know
Laws of Perception and Communication, knowing from inside out, from
within
Laws of Autonomy, creation and maintenance of self
Laws of Process and Reality, metaphysics - foundations of our world view
Laws of Functionality and Relations, how everything and every event is
connected
Laws of Coherence (Relational Quantum Coherence ?)
11
Autopoiesis: 53
Axiology: Hartman’s value classes are based on intensions (meanings). 56
Facts and Values: 54
Semiotics:Semiotics is the theory of sign processes 54
Reforming Logic with Combinator Logic; Combining Logic with Metaphysics; the Basis
for the Synthesis of these aforementioned disciplines 55
There are two disciplines primarily concerned with systems of starting assumptions.
They are philosophical metaphysics and logic. These are not popularly known
disciplines since in normal times one can simply accept tradition. However, in times of
radical and fundamental change these two disciplines should come to the fore.
That is where we begin 58
We know from both semiotics and autopoiesis that our experiences of reality, our
perceptions, are not simply dictated through our senses by an external reality. Our
experiences and perceptions are co-created by ongoing interactions or, in the words of
Floyd Merrell, interdependent interrelations, between that external reality and our
selves.1 Thus we should ask, what do we bring to this co-creation and how does
what we bring effect our experience and perceptions? 55
We all are born into a language using community from which we all learn a whole
system of starting assumptions. What we can ultimately experience and perceive
depends on what that system of starting assumptions permits; unless, of course, we
consciously revise it. Fortunately, language is intrinsically meaningless. We have to
work with it to shape it and render meaning. In the course of shaping language, the role
of philosophy, we may find flaws in our starting assumptions leading to conscious
revision. 55
Conscious revision is a most difficult process 55
On reforming logic to logic of process: 56
Combinator Logic – work of Haskell Curry 56
Combining Logic and Process Metaphysics: Once subject of logic was
well defined. 59
For example, a system of entailment was developed at Yale with the goal
of capturing the English meaning of “If x then y”. (see work of Alan
Anderson and Nuel Belnap ) 59
Basic contentions of the process metaphysics (from Rescher) 60
1 Floyd Merrell, Signs Grow: Semiosis and Life Processes, University of Toronto Press, 1996
12
Thus the foundation of this research is a wedding of process metaphysics
and modern formalisms satisfying Bertrand Russell’s observation that a
philosopher knows what he is talking about while a mathematician
(formalist) knows precisely what he is saying 64
Section IV C In summary outline of Science Formation Process: 60 (another
repetition with some ideas added, clarified & simplified perhaps)
A) Discovery of new knowledge (what we’re talking about) identifying the
furniture 60
B) Development of ways to talk about new knowledge (new logics) 64
C) Application of rules of logic (to create recipes for understanding the new
knowledge) 64-65
D. Combine the theoretical and empirical philosophical research to form a new
science 65
Section IV D Functions and Processes to re-consider about organisms (for some
reason I think this belongs here) 61-66
Section IV E A prolegomena by Norm Hirst on the Axioms of Life 67
Copyright © held by Norm F. Hirst, 3/3/04(written 2004 again clarifying in diferent ways)
Living organisms are self-aware, self motivated actors. Thus they are totally outside the
domain of current scientific thinking. Current scientific thinking is either classification, as in
creating a taxonomy, or causal dynamics. In the case of causal dynamics it is assumed it must
be both quantitative and predictive. 67
Classification tells us nothing useful for understanding living organisms. Classifications
are based on external physical properties. They tell us nothing about internal awareness or
motivations. By causal dynamics I mean motion due entirely to external forces. 67
Now if we are going to have a science of life we need to ask what we expect of it. Since living
organisms are self-motivated actors we are not going to predict behavior as we might from a
robot. Nor are we going to be able to control people. We are not even going to consider it. But what
we can do is begin to understand what is possible. 67
Here we are concerned with all living organisms and the environment they create
Is the ecosystem a living organism? 68
Now we need to explore what kind of process and how do we express it. Formalism 68
13
Formalisms are used to express the generation or creation of forms. 68
(Key Thesis) 69
All the formalisms known today produce an order of things. The integers are things. 69
To understand life and living organisms we need a new style of formalism. We need formalisms
to produce orders of acts. 69
The philosophical basis is process metaphysics, not substance metaphysics. That is, fundamental
concepts are concepts of acts, not objects. To put it another way, we work with verbs, not nouns.
This rejects subject-predicate forms of logic. 69
This also rejects the typical emphasis on truth. Life is creative rather than truth preserving. Rather
than subject-predicate propositions judged by their truth-values, we turn to combinations of acts
judged as to the effectiveness. Effectiveness is a value judgement. 69
**The driving force of life is to achieve harmonized (coherent) variety and diversity. The
measure of value is proportional to the measure of diversity and the measure of coherence. 69
A process is a combination of acts, though combination is a rather weak word. Perhaps we should
speak of a society of acts or a nexus of acts. Envision acts embedded in acts. Envision acts relating
acts. Envision an organism as a society with many foci of sub-societies acting simultaneously and
driven by coherence. 69
Substance metaphysics has forced upon on us worldviews precluding values. With a few exceptions,
the literature on values is rather ridiculous. Values are not things. They are conditions on living
processes. 69
I said that living organisms are self-knowing and self-motivated. Everything that today’s
science deals with effectively is simply the passive result of causal interactions. A living
organism has to choose. * 69
In semiotics it is thought that an organism prepares to act based on deduction, particularly in thirdness
where knowledge of laws becomes available. By deduction it calculates what is likely to be next in
the world of its experience. No doubt this is part of the truth. But for a living organism that has to
choose there is the need to be sensitive to the totality of what is possible and out of that totality
what is most desirable. Thus we enter the realm of values that, to the best of my knowledge, has
never been adequately explored. ** 69
* A living organism begins with a single act of manifestation 69
14
Section V Beginning Axioms 70
Beginning Axioms with Abductive Hypothesis (1/18/06 ) 70-71
RE-considerations on Organisms Further Exploring Axioms 71-76
Section VI Summary and Conclusions 2007 77
A summary and conclusions towards new living logic for Science of Organisms as
published in Cosmos and History - The Journal of Natural and Social Philosophy in 2008 79
Characteristics of Organisms 77
Requirements of Organisms 77
Recent Empirical Philosophy about Organisms (early naming of orders of acts) 77-80
Within Organisms and Organism Ways: 80
Organisms are Not simple (Allonomic) systems 80
Logic (Early considerations) of Organisms 80
Considerations for Organismic Formalisms 80
I do have problems with the word logic. Logic is a collection of formal systems originating in
the need for sound arguments. Needed now is a class of formal systems with different
properties for different purposes
It is the job of empirical philosophy to discover and describe what there is in the world.
Empirical philosophy is a precursor to science leading to thought recipes 81
Will Mathematics Serve 81
For a logic of organismic function, we should be mindful, based on experience, that it should lead to
the following results 82
• New Realities
• Novelty
• Variety
• Paradox
• Cooperation
• Avoidance of equilibrium, is meta-stable
• Energy, energy stores
• Improbability
• Effective Acts
• Functioning as a unity
15
• Evolution, not random processes or survival of the fittest
• Oscillation and vibratory processes between both poles of categorical contrasts to find effective
acts in its creation process
Rosch description Primary Knowing 82
In contrast to Results of Materialism 82
• Deterministic
• Materialistic
• Cause and effect, there is no way of seeing process or how something becomes other than
cause and effect
• Passive things/a thing world
• Parts/things/machine-like
• No final cause
• Only way to cause action is with force
• It’s predictable
• Has need for consistency/ truth preservation
• Discrete separate things
• Deals only with facts
Rosch characterizs materialism an analytic picture 84
Distinctions between traditional logics and organismic formalisms 83
Characteristics of Traditional Logics: 83
• Truth preserving
• Thing oriented (extensional)
• Consistency that denies process
• Static
• Excludes self-reference (self-knowing)
• Excludes values
Characteristics of Organismic Formalisms: 84
• Abductive/Creative
• Meaning oriented (intensional)
• Allows oscillation
• Dynamic
• Requires self-reference (self-knowing)
• Value-driven
The primitives of the Organismic Formalisms: 84
• Will not be things
16
• There will be acts and inner relations (Inner relations are relations that change the related)
• The rules will not be inference rules but transformations
• They will not have truth-values
• Truth values will be replaced by coherence, coherence will be conserved
• They will not have subject-predicate forms of propositions.
• Categories will not be object categories but function categories
• The questions we will ask of organismic formalisms will not be “is it true”?
• We will ask, “Can one get there from here”?
Concluding thoughts on Life-itself as organism: 85
the ultimate goal of life is to increase value. What values and how they’ll be manifested is
a free expression of organisms. Purposes (final cause) do not lend themselves to
prediction by the hard sciences. Being creative organism, life comes with value
intelligence: its creativity has direction and purpose that becomes its own free gift to the
universe.
Addenum I (Needs to be added to and edited)
Implications and Consequences developing from Abductive Hypothesis; Remaing
Section is on Applications (So What?) 85
The following are considerations on results and benefits of growing a new Mind using hypotheses
of Life-itself metaphysics and living value logics. May they provide guidance for thinking and
finding new action for social problems facing our world, today.
Pointing to Solutions 85
Knowing today what is being discovered about how living organisms actually function is nowhere
near what we used to think. The “actual functioning” points to practically every problem we have
in society today and explains why those problems exist. By understanding the actual functioning,
many of those problems can be simply dissolved.
Medicine and Health Care 86
Education. Schools 87-90
Law 90
Business 91
17
Opinions Are Not Enough (article Norm Hirst 2001) 92
On Terrorism (article Norm Hirst 2001) 93
Transforming the Workplace into a Life-Giving Experience;
By Plant Manager, Tess Jette 95-97
Science-Religion: Norm Hirst 97
Communication between Realities, Norm Hirst 100
New World View on Political Views (response to article Free Press) Norm Hirst 101
Why Peace is so Elusive! (Norm Hirst 2003) 105-109
-----------------------
Addendum II Glossary (Needs to be added to and edited) 110
Glossary A Glossary of Terms required to read this book: 110
Natural law consists of relationships, or systems of relationships, that
prevent chaos while not unduly inhibiting freedom. 110
What is science Science is formal theory development (sign or symbol system) applied to
subject matter (philosophies). When you interpret the elements of a formal sign system with
the elements of experience (subject matter), it leads to scientific understanding of that subject
matter. Once significant understanding is developed, the theory can be applied and tested. If a
single exception is found, the theory is rejected.
In science we give up ordinary language in favor of calculating with formalized systems of
signs. Through such a language of calculation we synthesize. Thus we have a closed loop:
subject matter => linguistic analysis => fundamental insights>axioms => calculation =>
subject matter
“form of function To achieve a science we must find a way to express the “form of
function”. Much has been written on “form and function”. But now we are concerned with the
“form of function”.
To achieve a science requires intellectual invention of a means for expressing the organizing
laws of the forms of function of that which has remained a mystery in experience combined
with an intense desire to penetrate the mystery at last and becoming free to soar to higher
aesthetic realms.
18
Science requires both head and heart, and so do we
What is theory? It is a whole system of related hypotheses and their consequences that reduce to a
unity.
Philosophy and science are complementary methods of inquiry.
What is philosophy?
What is theory? It is a whole system of related hypotheses and their consequences that reduce to a
unity.
Paradigm: (needs to be filled in)
Subject Matter of The Autognomics Inquiry is Life-itself and its processes
What is life or life processes
Life science: Science marries precision with meaning. It is the ongoing practice of saying
precisely what we mean and meaning exactly what we say.
Thus, to produce a science, we need the pure theoretical work described above in addition to
the insights and experience of those who work closely with life processes. They might be
experts in psychology, religion, management, social work, as well as biology, genetics, or
medicine. The list seems endless.
LOGICS Defined: Intensional and Extensional
***Addendum III 113
Excerpts from Norm Hirst Gordon Conference Paper (May include the entire paper as
addendum)
Gordon Conference #3, 1970 on Human Values and Natural Science 113
In outlining work on creating science of values
We will define the order of an experience to be the number of separate transformation groups
which can be applied to the experience….
…briefly perception is constructive rather than passively receptive. Human percpetion and
development begins with the establishment of a repertoire of transformation groups, or schema,
in the motor system and develops to the transformation groups of the higher mental processes.
19
The higher mental processes give us transformation groups over and above those required to
merely function and survive in the world. They are to be expected given the influence of a
general drive towards increasing esthetic experience.
As we progress, we will and have considered:
1. That a scientific axiology is possible
2. That science means no more, nor less, than the replacement of intuitive notions by
formal ones.
3. That discovering the rationale of value requires a basis in process organismic
metaphysics
4. That expressing the rationale of value requires the replacement of ‘normal’ logics by
combinatory logics
5. That value evolves in experience according to extremum principles of esthetic measure
Addendum IV
Methods of Inquiry and how to Get Involved 115
List of Resources on History of Human Knowledge (needs to be added) Claire Grave’s Work,
Richard Tarnas the Passion of the Western Mind, others to be added

LifeIS Outline - Revision history

Jan: Created page with "1 Outline for Life IS book 2/4/17 Forward: Aaron Gire summary In separate doc Personal Forward – Norm and Skye Hirst 1 A preface of Norm Hirst’s Inquiry History 1 Breakthr..."