SOME
CONCEPTUAL PAPERS
Conceptual papers make no significant paraceptual claims. They argue neither for nor against anything or any course of action. Instead, they focus on understanding some conceptual distinctions formulated by examining how a person wants to use various concepts. Some people find this strange and read as if something other than this was involved. Select comments for more perspective on what is and is not involved in conceptual study.
The conceptual papers on this website are intended to be self-contained in the sense that they can be adequately understood with only an ordinary understanding of the core concepts used to develop them. For a deeper understanding, you may want to consult the Concept Encyclopedia web page or download a MS-Word version of Concept Encyclopedia.doc. That gives more information about these core concepts. Many of these core concepts are taken from the Public Net for Descriptive Psychology and are developed in more detail in that part of the website. Others are all developed in detail in A Personal Approach to Conceptual Philosophy.
The all caps form of a word will
sometimes be used to stress the conceptual nature of a statement.
Thus ‘IS’ means ‘is conceptually within
the context of a paper’. The letter P denotes an arbitrary person.
The papers available as HTML files are listed below. They deal both with my ordinary net concepts and with concepts from my net for philosophy. All papers are open to revision, so please contact me with any comments. Also let me know if you would like a Microsoft Word version.
Papers (go to descriptions)
Church and State as Semicultures
Maxims & Axioms for Conceptual Nets
Maxims for Behavior Descriptions
Natural and Paranatural and Supernatural Action
Potential Impact of Descriptive Psychology
Ordinary Uses for Descriptive Psychology
Rapprochement of Religion & Science
Vagueness of Academic Philosophy
Descriptions: Altho most of the words used for the concepts being studied are taken from ordinary language, the concepts and conceptual distinctions that I use are specialized in ways that go beyond those in common usage. To stress this I sometimes use the capitalized word ‘IS’ as an abbreviation for ‘is conceptualized for the purposes of this paper in such a way that’.
AOC & Observer Intrusion Any behavior role can malfunction at times. One type of observer malfunction can be characterized as excessive use of the observer role. This paper briefly examines a form of excessive self-observation that I call observer intrusion. This involves the observer being so preoccupied with self-observation as to interfere with being an actor and with being a critic.
Appeal of Determinism This paper consists of reflections on the main barrier I once encountered in learning to think about originship. It contains mostly information that helps me understand my net for philosophy. It does not develop any concepts, and thus is not a conceptual paper in the usual sense. However it focuses on my attitudes and on my understanding of some parts of the kind of conceptual nets I was conditioned to use, and I find this useful in understanding my current net. It may also be of use to anyone else who has encountered similar barriers.
Chicken or Egg This paper is a self-contained version of Part 2 Chapter 2 Section 3 of A Personal Approach to Conceptual Philosophy. It was developed as an illustration of a conceptual distinction I use in thinking about questions. A question IS an individualized instance of an interrogative sentence. The primary purpose of a question IS to request information. In most cases, asking a question indicates some uncertainty about information, so the most we would expect of the person who initiates a question is an awareness of the type of information that would suffice. Questions that could be answered by the type of information the individual asking the question intended are called queries. This is a specialized use of the word query. This paper associates various queries with the question “which came first, the chicken or the egg?” For more about questions and queries, see the paper Propositions and Queries.
Church and State as Semicultures A complete culture IS a community whose members have an interdependent way of living and whose institutions provide the opportunity for these members to at least minimally satisfy all of their vital human needs and enhance their behavior potential in a multitude of realms of interest. Furthermore, a culture is self-contained in the sense that its institutions can do so without support from any external communities. The adjective ‘complete’ is used because this paper augments the concept of a culture with the concepts of an identity-culture and a semiculture. These include cultures but also include communities too limited in their social practices to be complete cultures. The paper then introduces the concept of a comprehensive paradigm to conceptualize two types of basic human needs, called spiritual and temporal. These are used to conceptualize two types of semicultures referred to as global churches and sovereign states. Although these two types of semiculture are neither conceptually exclusive nor exhaustive, they appear to have a long history and varied relationships in a multitude of cultures. Parameters for thinking about these two types of semicultures are then formulated in Sections 1 and 2. Section 3 makes some suggestions about how these parameters might be used to provide a perspective on the relationship between church and state. Section 4 is a panel discussion in which several imaginary characters consider some church-state issues. These characters have not reflected on a conceptual analysis of church and state. Section 5 uses the conceptual analysis from earlier sections along with concepts from PNDP to reflect on the panel discussion.
Competence & Realm Knowledge This paper was motivated by some comments by Paul Zeiger about the relationship between the concepts of competence and know-with. He saw them as more closely related than I did. He is using concepts from DP (Descriptive Psychology), and since I am unclear about how the concept of competence is used in DP, I may be using the term ‘competence’ more broadly. Altho I use the same three main parameters as those used in DP, I conceptualize the power parameter differently. Instead of using informational knowledge as one of the power types, I use a broader power type called understanding. This type includes relational comprehensions and knowledge. Knowledge includes realm knowledge and process knowledge, as well as informational knowledge. Furthermore, I am not clear about the DP concept of know how or its role as a characteristic. I am using a competence concept in a way that allows a competence to include both cognitive and non-cognitive components. The purpose of this paper is to bring these concepts into clearer focus and to relate them to other concepts within my master net.
Comprehensive Paradigms Thomas Kuhn coined the term ‘paradigm’ in relation to the endeavors a scientific community makes in regards to some realm of interest. His concept could be extended in an obvious manner to other types of communities having any other limited realms of interest. The main conceptual goal of the present paper is to formulate a concept of a paradigm that goes beyond any limited realm of interest. We will call such paradigms “comprehensive paradigms”. This and other conceptual considerations provide a background for bringing two preliminary questions and one capstone question into focus. What is the relationship between comprehensive paradigms and religions, especially as this relates to basic human needs? What are the prospects for comprehensive paradigms in the future? Finally and most significant, to what degree and in what ways can different religions and different comprehensive paradigms coexist in the same society? For each question, we sketch some answers that we find at least somewhat plausible. This is deliberately tentative and suggestive, and we do not attempt to formulate an exhaustive set of plausible answers. The related paper, entitled Comprehensive Paradigms Shifts, speculates on some questions about the history of comprehensive paradigms. Which ones have played a significant role in which types of cultures? How did they emerge? How were they replaced? Perhaps this can suggest some additional perspectives on the last question above.
Comprehensive Paradigm Shifts The early part of this paper is conceptual, presenting the concepts of a live option and a comprehensive paradigm. This part also sketches the concept of consciousness formulated by Julian Jaynes and relates his concept to the deliberate action concept from Descriptive Psychology. In this part, I am trying to formulate concepts that are clear enough to be a prelude to a careful examination of the reasons for various comprehensive paradigm shifts, and specifically how this relates to the general problem persons have in deciding what to do. Instead of such an examination, the rest of the paper merely gives my impressions about what it might reveal. I want to stress that these impressions are not based on research, that my speculations in this part are highly tentative, that I am not trying to establish any claims about reasons for comprehensive paradigm shifts. I am just indicating some conjectures that might be explored. Moreover, to narrow my conjectures about reasons for these shifts, I focus on reasons that might be relevant if the claims made by Jaynes about the origins of consciousness are essentially correct. A broader perspective on the future of comprehensive paradigms is the topic of the paper above, which does not consider Jaynes’ work. My reason for focusing on Jaynes work in this present paper is that it narrows the considerations to reasons that I find both interesting and at least moderately plausible. Whether or not Jaynes is correct about the origin of consciousness, I find the conceptual part of his work extremely useful. I also hope this might make it of interest to others who are intrigued by Jaynes’ work, even if they only find his claims at least slightly plausible.
Concept Mastery Descriptions Altho the idea of parameters did not originate in Descriptive Psychology, seeing how parametric analysis has been developed there suggested a wider usage than previously imagined. Their use of parametric analysis motivated the formulation of the parameters sketched in this paper. These parameters can be used to give a systematic account of the mastery of a concept by an individual. The most current version of these parameters, along with a more extended development of them is given in A Personal Approach to Conceptual Philosophy.
Conceptual Study & Pre-Empirical Science The first part of the paper conceptualizes various types of study, primarily by indicating conditions on parameters for describing the activity involved in these types of study. Scientific study (or more briefly science) is characterized by conditions on the want and performance parameters. Different conditions on these parameters are used to characterize conceptual study. Conceptual study is classified as pre-empirical or as purely conceptual, depending on conditions placed on the significance parameter. Some related concepts are also presented. The second part of the paper relates concepts from the first part to Descriptive Psychology. This is followed by a discussion of what I call conceptual philosophy, and which I now regard as a potential branch of Descriptive Psychology. Finally some of the barriers to a wider recognition of conceptual study and Descriptive Psychology are considered, along with the potential impact for the future of our culture if these barriers can be removed.
Cosmic Images A cosmic version IS a unified way of looking at the nature and origin of the universe and the way that persons fit into the general scheme of things. I am puzzled by the fact that the people I know and the authors I have read seem to have so little trouble in finding a plausible cosmic version that they do not consider vague. For many years, I have had no cosmic version. All I have are some functional cosmic attitudes. I call these cosmic images in order to stress the fact that they are vague, and that any attempt on my part to bring them into a sharper focus runs into the limitations of my ability to obtain a satisfactory intuitive grasp of anything of cosmic scope.
Eggs & Rights & Ordinary Nets To illustrate CS (conceptual study) for an ordinary net, I focus on a fictional account of my acquisition of various egg concepts. I also briefly discuss some other ordinary nets. Some of my conceptual papers give further examples of the use of CS with ordinary nets. Examples include Fearfulness Concepts, Self-esteem & Worth Concepts, Faith Concepts, Work & Employment Concepts. One reason for focusing on egg concepts is to illustrate the potential for complexity and confusion in a simple ordinary net, even when the concepts are not emotionally laden. It is also intended to illustrate why I find my net for understanding useful for thinking about such nets.
Faith Concepts Faith is conceptualized as a trust relation involves a person P and an object O during a time period T. I focus on four parameters. The stability parameter relates to the extent to which the faith is resistant to or susceptible to change. Faith can vary from firm to shaky. The scope parameter relates to the variety and number of behaviors that might be influence by the faith. The effect parameter relates to the extent to which it influences P’s actions in relevant situations, being operational to the extent that it has such effects. The evidential parameter relates to the extent to which the faith is or is not supported by some reliable type of evidence, being called ordinary to the extent that it is and extraordinary to the extent that it is not. Faith is often mentioned in relation to matters considered to be of major significance, such as religious faith, and while the concepts of faith I present apply to such faith, this paper focuses more on ordinary faith.
Free-Work & Eco-Work This paper uses the concepts of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to formulate two contrasting motivational concepts of work. Work whose motivation is primarily intrinsic IS Free-Work. Work having a strong extrinsic motivational component of an economic nature IS Eco-Work. Other motivational types of work are mentioned, but only to clarify the two types on which the paper focuses. Altho conceptual study give no paraceptual information about the role work has in what a person does, it does give me tools for thinking about such matters. In particular, it helps me think about the role work has in my own life and how this relates to my ideals.
Fearfulness Concepts Just prior to dawn on March 11, 1889 I experienced a sense of spiritual isolation so deep that I felt it would persist thruout eternity. For 4 years, my feeling of isolation manifested itself as extreme pathological anxiety. It was not until I was able to convert a major part of my anxiety into a fear, that I was able to lift myself from this pathology and regain some stable power of will. Once this fear was recognized, I was able to see that each time my will reemerged and my helplessness begin to fade. Fearfulness IS of two main types, fear and anxiety. Both are related to feeling endangered but they differ in terms of how the threat is identified. Fear IS an emotional state in which P feels like some specific state is a threat and P could describe the threat if asked to do so. Anxiety IS an emotional state in which P feels threatened but is unable to bring the harm implicit in the threat into sharp focus, because either the threat is not immediately present or because when it is, no harm stands out.
Historical Novels Historical fiction is set in the author’s version of some past for which the author could consult some well-established historical information and where at least part of this comes from materials written during or shortly after this period. This paper develops the five parameters {authenticity, richness, integration, unfolding, relevance} for thinking about the role historical fiction can play.
Looking For A Black Cat A philosopher is a blind man in a dark room looking for a black cat that isn’t there. The person who provided me with this characterization was using humor to suggest the utter lack of utility in philosophy. I prefer a more of comic heroic perspective. I picture a philosopher with limited resources facing almost overwhelming odds. Is this useless, or is it the ultimate in utility? Perhaps it is such tasks that encourage us to create our most powerful nets. This paper gives a glimpse of one way I use in understanding my concept of philosophy.
My Third Collapse of Will This paper consists of reflections on my understanding of the longest period in my life during which I was in an extreme state of spiritual pathology. I call this my third collapse of will, contrasting it with two other periods of shorter or less intense spiritual pathology. It contains mostly information that helps me understand the role that conceptual philosophy has had in my life. It is a modified version of art of the last chapter in my book entitled A Personal Approach to Conceptual Philosophy. It does not develop any concepts, and thus is not a conceptual paper in the usual sense. However it focuses on my attitudes and on my understanding of some parts of the kind of conceptual nets I was conditioned to use, and I find this useful in understanding my current net for crucial concepts.
My Wellbeing Pyramid One result of my third collapse of will was a new way to visualize the spiritual power that would enhance my origin quest. I picture my spiritual power as the apex A of a pyramid with a triangular base. This point A lies within the will that is me. The base vertices of this pyramid are part of my persona and his relationship to my beyond. There is a biological vertex B, a cultural vertex C, a direct relationship vertex D. If apex A had enough power, it could energize all these other vertices regardless of external factors. This is not the case currently. My will needs to build power in concert with power being developed in the other vertices.
Maxims & Axioms for Conceptual Nets The term ‘conceptual net’, or more briefly ‘net’, denotes a network of conceptual distinctions and conceptual relationships that is used to think about some realm of interest; perhaps to obtain or organize information about it, to propose conjectures about it, to suggest questions about it, etc. An analytic net is one whose concepts are developed from a few concepts taken as primitive and whose conceptual propositions can be deductively organized. A synthetic net has many concepts that cannot be analytically reduced to ones that are more fundamental. This paper focuses on the utility of maxims for bringing synthetics nets into focus. Altho this paper is on the role that maxims can play in understanding and formulating almost any synthetic net, it focuses on using them to think about the realm of actions by persons. Since a net called Descriptive Psychology was designed by Peter Ossorio for that realm of interest, most of the discussion centers on maxims from his book Place (Ossorio 1998). Since this paper is as much for those who are not familiar with Descriptive Psychology as for those who are, its concepts are not presupposed, but sketched as needed. Before turning to general considerations, how maxims can be used as reminders for thinking about the behavior of persons is briefly illustrate. This is followed by some considerations that Ossorio uses for giving a behavior description. A variety of illustrations of how the use of maxims as reminders could help almost anyone in giving more faithful and more useful behavior descriptions are then given. Finally, the use of maxims as reminders is the related to their more general use as conceptual tools. Maxims are compared and contrasted to axioms, indicating why maxims are more useful in synthetic net. The advantage of using maxims to supplement other conceptual tools such as paradigm cases and the use of parameters is also considered.
Maxims for Behavior Descriptions The term ‘net’ denotes a network of concepts that is used to think about some realm of interest; perhaps to obtain or organize information about it, to propose conjectures about it, to suggest questions about it, etc. Descriptive Psychology was designed by Peter Ossorio for the realm of action by persons. Descriptive Psychology is a net rather than a theory, altho it can be used to clarify psychological theories. However the focus of this paper is on ordinary uses of this net. Many of the concepts in Descriptive Psychology should be easy to understand, as they are more refined versions of concepts routinely used by most people. Some of these concepts will be presented in a way that provides an elementary introduction to a central portion of Descriptive Psychology. Since this paper introduces this net by considering the role that maxims can play in thinking about the realm of actions by persons, most of the discussion centers on maxims from Ossorio’s book Place (Ossorio 1998). We begin by briefly illustrating how a maxim can be used as a reminder for thinking about the behavior of persons. This is followed by a sketch of a behavioral version of the person concept and the closely related concepts of a characteristic and a behavior description. Since these and other concepts from Descriptive Psychology are refined versions of what the ordinary connotations of these terms suggest, some reasons for having a refined net for understanding what persons do are indicated. This is followed by a more elaborate set of illustrations of how the use of maxims as reminders could help almost anyone in giving more faithful and more useful descriptions, both of their own behavior and the behavior of others. There are some minor changes in the language used in some maxims, partially because of what Ossorio said in his commentary. Moreover, these changes make them easier to illustrate. Altho this paper is written as an introduction to Descriptive Psychology, it may be of interest to anyone who has other ideas about how Descriptive Psychology might be introduced to a general audience.
Natural and Paranatural and Supernatural Action This is a brief paper that formulates a conceptual distinction between several type of common and ordinary activity. The concepts of natural and paranatural are part of my net for philosophy. The concept of supernatural was added in this paper.
Person Concepts This paper considers the PNDP person concept and develops some related concepts. I begin with some discussion about why I would like to see a paradigm case formulation of this person concept, followed later by what I hope is an adequate one. Since this uses the concept of a dramaturgical pattern, that concept will also be discussed using Julian Jaynes’ concept of consciousness. The related concepts could be used to think about some types of individuals that might be like paradigm case persons, but that would not be paradigm case examples of persons. One such type involves weakening or eliminating the socio features of the paradigm case. I coin the term ‘asocio person’ for such types of persons. I make no paraceptual claims about the existence of asocio persons. However some of them, such as supernatural persons, have at least been imagined. I coin the term ‘quasi-person’ for types of individuals whose behavior potential is far too limited for them to be classified as persons even using the allowable transformations. Some of these, such as domestic dogs clearly exist, and I suspect that thinking of them as quasi-persons could be of interest to some people. My main interest in having the quasi‑person concept is to consider the relationship of their behavior to the behavior of persons. In particular, I am interested in the type of quasi‑persons I designate as semi-persons. I find these of interest in considering how and why Homo sapiens became persons. Terms like ‘asocio person’ or ‘quasi‑person’ are used primarily for developing concepts.
Plausibility Concepts This paper conceptualizes a plausibility attitude as a relation between a person and a proposition rather that as an attribute of a proposition. It formulates a heuristic device called plausibility intervals for thinking about various plausibility attitudes. This device makes use of our ordinary understanding of betting choices. It indicates ways in which thinking in terms of plausibility might serve purposes that would be obscured by thinking in terms of either truth or probability.
Plausibility Attitudes Towards Jaynes' Theory This paper focuses only on my personal reactions to Jaynes’ theory about the origins of consciousness.
Propositions & Queries This paper focuses on the concept of a statement that clearly proposes information and the concept of a question that clearly asks for information. These are called propositions and queries respectively. Related concepts are also formulated and discussed. A multitude of examples is given as illustrations. It includes much of the material from Part 2 Chapter 2 of A Personal Approach to Conceptual Philosophy.
Purpose of Human Existence What is the purpose of human existence? Why was I once concerned about this question? Why am I now no longer concerned with it? A query IS a type of question that makes a request for information that is clear enough in the context in which the question was formulated. This question about the purpose of human existence once seemed like a query, but now seems too vague to be one. I suggest some queries that could be associated with this question. However none of these queries has the apparent significance of the original question, and I suspect that there may be no such query. It is these reflections that have eliminated my concern about that question. I do not expect this will be helpful to anyone who still feels the need for a firm external grounding for his or her most basic purposes.
Ordinary Uses for Descriptive Psychology Unlike the conceptual networks widely used by most professional psychologists, the concepts in Descriptive Psychology are refined and systematic version of those routinely used by most people. It might seem that this should make DP easy to understand. Why then has DP not become a part of our routine public discourse for thinking about what persons do? Is it because having DP versions of such concepts seldom provides a notable advantage in ordinary situations over those routinely used? Is it because most courses of action seldom involve people in the kinds of practices that help them in acquiring DP concepts? Is it because there are subtle features that make DP especially difficult for most people? If any of these reasons are relevant, what can we do to help people incorporate DP into the net they routinely use? Since learning DP is a form of behavior, DP should help us think about how people acquire and appreciate its concepts. As a prelude, we consider an imaginary conversation in which a person’s behavior is discussed in an ordinary manner. We will then relate this to a DP behavior description and some comments related to the above questions. We continue our exploration of these questions with some further imaginary conversations about ordinary matters, comparing these to the perspective that might be gained by using Descriptive Psychology.
Self-esteem &Worth Concepts I have long been puzzled by the idea of self-esteem, and until recently it had never occurred to me that self-esteem was more a way of acting than a kind of belief. It seemed that lack of self-esteem was some vague belief that a person had about being inferior. This paper conceptualizes self-esteem as an attitude rather than as a belief. It also introduces and uses various concepts of personal worth, relating them to self-esteem.
Rapprochement
of Religion & Science This paper explores the domains of religion and
science as areas of human activity and understanding. Where are they independent of each
other? Where do they overlap, with the
resulting opportunity for conflict? How
might this conflict, when it occurs, be most productively dealt with, e.g. in
ways that benefit both religion and science?
The article begins with several currently popular viewpoints on the
relationship between religion and science, all mutually inconsistent. The next major goal will be to make it
comprehensible that people living on the same planet could hold all these
views, and to do it without putting down the holders of any of those
views. Reaching this goal is facilitated
by the resources of Descriptive Psychology. The limits of religious pluralism
and the overlaps between religion and science are explored. The hope is to convince the reader that (a)
the apparent conflict between religion and science, as represented in the
popular press, is less serious than might be imagined at first glance, and (b)
some of the perceived problems boil down to finding the protocols necessary for
co-existing in an atmosphere of religious pluralism -- a problem that stands
before us independent of any collisions between religion and science. The article
ends with what seems to be the bottom lines for what scientists and religious
people must throw away in order for productive dialog to occur, and what they
must keep to maintain their integrity .
Vagueness of Academic Philosophy I could restrict this paper to explaining why I find traditional philosophical questions vague, and why before revising my net for philosophy my own philosophical thinking was seriously flawed by a deeply rooted vagueness that I was unable to acknowledge. However I venture beyond this. I will conjecture that all traditional philosophy is flawed in a similar manner, and that contemporary academic philosophy takes these flaws to new levels of sophistication. Stated so broadly, this conjecture is too vague to be a proposition. I merely offer it as a vague indication of a background attitude, and it would be dishonest to ignore this attitude. As I expose the vagueness of my own philosophical questioning, I feel that this is more than just a personal weakness, that it is a symptom of a general weakness that pervades philosophical reasoning. This is why I no longer have a serious interest in academic philosophy.
MORE PAPERS TO BE ADDED
Comments on What a
Conceptual Paper Is and Isn't
While we sometimes talk about understanding concepts as if it was primarily a matter intellect, this is a narrow concept of understanding. The concept of understanding that I am using is extremely broad. Understanding can occur at a variety of levels. I conceptualize understanding in such a way that abilities, knowledge, values, attitudes, interests can be part of what it means to understand; and a deep level of understanding involves most of these dispositions and powers, with the non-intellectual components often the key to the deepest type of understanding.
A person acquires an understanding of concepts primarily by practice and experience in the using them. For this reason these papers not only present concepts and conceptual distinction, but also indicate why I find them important and how I use them. Thus these papers abound with paraceptual propositions that are intended to help bring these concepts into focus. I have tried to make only minor paraceptual claims that I expect most people to find highly plausible. However concepts can be acquired by using them to make paraceptual observations of varying degrees of adequacy, and hence the truth of such claims is irrelevant to understanding these concepts.
A net is a network of concepts and conceptual relationships. Concepts must be understood in relation to other concept within some net. My philosophical net involves my deepest and most ubiquitous concepts and the other concepts these most directly support. It is a part of all the other nets I use. Thus as I developed my philosophical net, I also examined and modified a multitude of more ordinary concepts, and altho most papers described on this page are taken from A personal Approach to Conceptual Philosophy, few of them deal directly with my philosophical concepts. Mostly they deal with the concepts that I used as examples and illustrations.
The Free-Work & Eco-Work paper contains an appendix that illustrates more about what a conceptual paper is and is not.