To Sam, responding to his mention of Bohn's 8 Stages of Knowledge in "Re:
Fruits of Learning LO1510"
Sam:
I don't like Bohn's categories as I read them in your note.
Several very provoking observations over the past month in this list have
evolved from the concept of knowledge and knowing. The Tao was clapped
around with one hand for a while (if I may mix references...), and of
course no "resolution" of nothingness was possible. Let's look at Bohn's
eighth level.
Complete knowledge, as described, leads to a process and envvironment so
well understood that all problems can be anticipated and prevented. Is
this an awesome, fearful state, or what? Is the human brain capable not
only of conceiving such a state of affairs, but also of living well within
its bounds?
Think of the flood of parables built around complexity, and lately chaos.
One grain of wheat on the first chess square, double that on the next,
double the second sqaure on the third, etc. A gigantic number by square
64. Can we predict everything? Do we dare to believe we have such power
to predict?
I am reminded, too, of theodicy, much in the news of late (see the NYTimes
magazine, last Sunday's issue). Given choice (do we give it? Do we want
to do away with it?), can we expect that knowledge over the next 2 or 12,
or 20, or 200 years will inform our hearts and minds in some way other
than how they have been instructed for ten thousand years?
We can't "so well understand" our environment. We experience it,
transform our behavior sometimes as a result. I wouldn't deny that
synthesis in existence is available, that the Age of Aquarius is perhaps
more than just colorfully depicted on a glossy calendar with pictures of
deep green and brown forests, snow-capped monadnocks. But I'm cautious
about predicting a period of complete knowledge about ANYTHING.
And, as an afterthought, the idea of complete knowledge seems contrary to
Senge's ideas of systems thinking meant to have us see the folly in
believing we have in our grasp some total picture. He says, in The Fifth
Discpline, "we learn best from experience but we never directly experience
the consequences of many of our most important decisions". I'm back on
the chessboard, 64 squares enormous, trying to make the most of life,
opening my consciousness as wide as my personal chemistry will allow.
-- Barry Mallis "The world is the closed door. Total Quality Resource Manager It is the barrier. And MARKEM Corporation at the same time it is Keene, NH 03431 the way through." bmallis@markem.com