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Palmer
POSSIBLE GROUNDS
FOR A REFLEXIVE
SOCIOLOGY
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For this paper on the web see http://archonic.net
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
on the relation of Systems to Meta- Plato which focused on the various cities
systems eventually led to understanding in the works of Plato and how they were
what are now called the Special organized. The Laws of Plato is at once
Systems4. The culmination of this the first Systems Theory book and also
research appeared in a book called perhaps the first Social Theory book.
Reflexive Autopoietic Systems Theory5. However, it is ignored by most
Upon completing this work I made philosophers and political scientists and
presentations at ISSS6 2000 and almost never studied by Sociologists.
INCOSE7 2002 in order to make known However, there are many strange aspects
these discoveries8. I thought it wise to of the Laws especially when compared
also attempt to inform the Social Theory with the other cities that Plato describes
community because this discovery of the in the Republic and Timaeus. Eventually
Special Systems has implications for I recognized these differences as spelling
Sociology as well. This is why I am out the relations between the special
presenting a summary of my research at systems. However, all these pieces did
ISTC9 2003. Thus, I speak to you not as not fall into place at once. Rather this
an academic sociologist, but instead as a commentary on the Laws provided a
trained sociologist who through background in which other research into
circumstances beyond my control has Systems Design Methods and Systems
been forced to do twenty years of field Theory played. At the time I had written
work in the high technology aerospace a paper on Software Design Methods
industry. And who has also continued to based on the work of George Klir for
pursue my research into the The International Journal of Systems
philosophical grounds of reflexive Science. It summarized the work I had
sociology as well as doing research into done on Software Design Methods in the
advanced systems theory and systems previous ten years. One day I realized
and software design methodologies. The that there was a relation between what
various interests unexpectedly and Klir calls the Ordering Lattice which he
serendipitously came together in a grand called a Methodological Distinction and
synthesis with the discovery of special the Hyper Complex Algebras. At that
systems theory and emergent meta- moment the theory of Special Systems
systems theory in about 1994. The whole was born. To my knowledge no one had
thing resulted from an in depth study of previously used the hyper-complex
Plato that I was doing as part of my algebras as a basis for a systems theory.
work in writing a book about the The more I delved into this new source
structure of the Western Worldview for systems theory the more applications
called The Fragmentation of Being and I saw for it to various problems I had
the Path Beyond the Void. In that work I been studying over the last thirty years.
was doing a commentary on the Laws of Hyper-complex algebras see little use in
science proper, except in String Theory.
They are a mathematical curiosity. But
4
For more papers on this subject see when you take them and use them as a
http://archonic.net
5 template for producing a series of
See http://works.bepress.com/kent_palmer
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http://isss.org/
systems theories, then one sees that their
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http://incose.org/ odd properties can be very useful in
8
See http://archonic.net understanding other areas beyond
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http://www.cas.usf.edu/socialtheory/
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
physics. This is what I have been vantage point resolved into a synthesis.
engaged in doing since 1994. After the That synthesis as I have followed it up
theory itself was defined fairly well I has far reaching implications. My main
began looking for historical precedents job in this paper is to attempt to show
and the number one precedent in this that this synthesis is a bonafied
case is the works of Plato. I believe that Sociological Theory as well as its other
his descriptions of cities are a blueprint implications. That should not be difficult
for understanding the differences among because it has a component of reflexive
the special systems. I believe also that social theory built into the overall theory
ancient civilizations knew about the at the ground level. The difficulty will be
special systems and put this knowledge to persuade others that this sociological
to use. They left us artifacts that component of the theory is of
attempted to embody those structures. significance for the discipline of
But we have forgotten about the Sociology. When I took Sociology the
existence of the Special Systems and so dream of sociologists was to be
they come as news to us today, where considered a bona fide science like
they should actually be a wisdom carried physics and biology. That meant having
consciously by our tradition. But mathematical models. Unfortunately the
somehow our tradition has forgotten phenomena we studied did not lend itself
about the special systems and so it is up to mathematical models in the same way
to us to understand them again today in a as other more rigorous disciplines.
way that makes sense in the context of However, in the case of Special Systems
modern science. The point is that as theory there is a mathematical
Plato knew, they were a way of component to the theory, which could
understanding social systems, as well as serve as a basis for grounding
other living systems. Plato's work was sociological theory, at least one of the
designed to pass on knowledge of the reflexive sort. So what this paper will
special systems to us today. But they suggest is that the fools gold for which
have failed up to this point because we all sociologists would give their eye
did not have a proper theoretical context teeth might turn out to be real gold after
for understanding those works. The all. Which is to say that there may be a
object of this paper is to establish that mathematical basis for at least some part
theoretical context and also to look at of sociological theory. This is of course
Plato's examples of the special systems the strongest claim of this theory and I
as well as other examples from antiquity. am sure it will be the one to meet with
Once you understand the theoretical the most criticism. But unless we
context then it is possible to read these attempt to provide candidates to be
examples and get a good idea about the refuted then we can hardly continue to
nature of these Special Systems and their call ourselves scientists. This then is a
relation to each other, which is called the theory that is a good candidate for
Emergent Meta-system. I don't think that refutation. I invite everyone to take a
I have any particular special skills that swing at it, because if this theory is
allowed me to discern this theoretical disproven at the very least I will have
pattern. It was merely that I was looking learned something from this exercise.
at a large cross section of very different Otherwise, I will just remain a crackpot
problems, which from a particular without any justification for
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
understanding why this theory is wrong. they appear in the organization of Plato's
So hold on to your seats this is likely to cities appears as proto-sociology. In
be a wild ride, for all of us. other words in some sense Reflexive
Sociology must deal with what has been
It should be mentioned that I believe that swept under the carpet by Scientific
Reflexive Sociology has a dual which is Sociology because it functions in the
Reflexive Psychology. I take Reflexive interface between the Restricted
Psychology to be a superset of what has economy of Science and the netherworld
been called by Hillman Archetypal of pseudo-science in the tradition of S.L.
Psychology based on the tradition of Andresky who wrote Social Science as
Jungian Psychology, which is interested Sorcery.
in the Collective Unconscious. Of course
we are interested in both the Collective
Unconscious and its archetypes as well
as the collective consciousness explored A Possible Mathematical Basis For
by a social phenomenology. However, Reflexive Sociology
this concept of a Reflexive Psychology
being the dual of a Reflexive Sociology The first thing that needs to be
will raise some eyebrows. This will be understood is that there is a difference
especially true when we mention between Systems and Meta-systems.
alchemy following the tradition of Jung Everything hinges on this distinction.
in which alchemy is seen as primal We know what "systems" are
psychology. However this is based on presumably because we use the word all
the idea that the archetypes are defined the time. But my definition of it is a
by the special systems, which is the Social Gestalt. I contrast the perceptual
subject of a different paper. But the basic gestalt with what I call the proto-gestalt
concept is that archetypes and ideas are and I take this distinction at the
duals of each other. Ideas are unites of conceptual level to be the difference
presences and Archetypes are totalities between the system and the meta-
of absences. Thus, the Ideas that we system. Unfortunately in our culture
posit in a scientific sociology or there is no real concept of the meta-
psychology have to be balanced against system or the proto-gestalt. So that
the archetypes that appear in folk means that it is necessary to learn to
sociologies or psychologies. Here the make this crucial distinction. I define the
folk sociologies, perhaps studied by meta-system as the environment,
ethnomethodology in some non- ecosystem, milieu, context, situation,
discredited form, and the folk and other similar words that suggest
psychologies which we see in such what surrounds the system. I use the
phenomena as mentalization are taken term ‘Meta’ in the sense of 'beyond'. The
into account as the shadows of the meta-system is beyond the boundary of
restricted economies of the social the system. A system is a gestalt in the
sciences that appear in the general sense of being composed of a tension
economies that surround them and between figure and ground. We see the
govern the intersection of these system by a series of figure and ground
disciplines. Just as Alchemy is proto- gestalts that pick out the objects that
psychology then the Special Systems as stand in relation to each other in the
system. Systems, of course, can be static
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
or dynamic; they can also be open or gestalt which we transfer to the system
closed as in the standard definition. The by considering it phenomenologically.
whole problem is where to draw the But the meta-system is a whole less than
boundary of the system and I believe the sum of its parts. This is a state of
that it is socially projected, that is to say affairs that is almost never considered.
socially invented and constructed and An example of a whole less than the sum
maintained. But all boundaries need a of its parts is a sponge, i.e. a whole with
context within which they are inscribed holes. The emptiness of the holes
and this context is the proto-gestalt. In themselves play a role, this is something
effect the proto-gestalt is the implicate we learn from the Tao Te Ching when it
order10 of the various gazes that pick out points out the usefulness of the void in a
the gestalts of the system. The proto- hole in the wholeness of a bowl. It is
gestalt is the context from the horizon strange to think about an absence or lack
beyond which the gaze cannot reach to being useful but think of a tunnel
the central gestalt at any one moment, through a mountain that trains and cars
but the proto-gestalt contains all the pass through, that is very useful. So it is
gazes at all the gestalts within that that every system has a complementary
horizon. Thus the proto-gestalt meta-system composed of niches
encompasses the environment of the especially made to hold the systems of a
system from the horizon of the gazes of particular type. That meta-system is
the social observers of the system to the made up of lacks that accept the
boundaries of the system. surpluses of the systems it encompasses.
If you begin looking at the world in
But we can also see another level of terms of meta-systems you will find
system within a system. Thus the meta- them everywhere. But this is a way of
system also can exist within a system as looking at things that we seldom
the environment of a sub-system within experience because all our training is to
that system. So meta-systems exist both look at systems and to ignore meta-
inside and outside the boundaries of the systems.
system seen as a social gestalt. When I
say social gestalt I am assuming either Once you can see the difference that
there are multiple agents observing a makes a difference between systems and
system or that the same agent observes meta-systems on the conceptual level
the system from different viewpoints, and gestalts and proto-gestalts on the
and that that agent is broken up into a perceptual level then the next step is to
swarm of sub-agents. realize that there exists a type of system,
a special kind of system, where the
Once you understand that there is a whole is exactly equal to the sum of its
complementary difference between the parts. Now this is the hard part. Because
system and the meta-system (gestalt and it is difficult for us to conceive of a
proto-gestalt) then the next step is to whole equal to the sum of its parts until
understand the characterization of these we are reminded of the prefect number.
two kinds of system. The system is a The perfect number is a whole equal to
whole greater than the sum of its parts. the sum of its divisors, exactly equal to
This is the standard definition of the its parts. Note that perfect numbers are
rare anomalies and so are Special
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David Bohm, Wholeness and the Implicate Order Systems. The question is whether we can
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
isolate a special type of system in both unity and totality and that is
existence that is like the perfect number. wholeness. It is quite intuitive that a
The perfect number shows up in Euclid's whole is a unified totality which is
Elements. It was a crucial example of different from either a unity or a totality
wholeness in the Classical age. or a plurality considered separately.
However, it has become merely a Thus wholeness may be considered a
mathematical oddity in our own times. non-dual between the orthogonal
This is because no systems theory has directions of unity and totality arising
been developed that emulates the from plurality. Such a whole may be
structure of the perfect number. Such a either a whole less than the sum of its
systems theory must occupy the edge parts, like a sponge, or a ecosystem of
between systems greater than the sum of niches, i.e. a whole of holes or a whole
their parts and systems less than the sum greater than the sum of its parts like a
of their parts, just as the perfect number gestalt. But these two orthogonal
as a mathematical anomaly is compared possibilities also have a non-dual which
to numbers whose sum of devisors is is the whole equal to the sum of its parts.
greater than the number itself, or less It turns out that there is not just one such
than the number itself. Our job here is to possibility but three. For instance, there
attempt to understand whether it is are not just ‘perfect’ numbers but also
possible to construct such a systems ‘amicable’ and ‘sociable’ numbers.
theory that can act as a bridge between Amicable numbers are those in which
the number theory ideal and empirical two numbers divisors add up to each
phenomena that might be described by other. These were known since antiquity
such a special systems theory. as well like the perfect numbers and
considered an image of symbiosis. The
One way to approach constructing this sociable numbers are a series which
possible systems theory is to start with forms a ring in which one number adds
Kant's categories of part and whole. up to the sum if the divisors of the last
They include the dialectically related number in the series and its divisors add
categories of Plurality, Unity and up to the sum of the next number in the
Totality. From Plurality we can go in the series. These were discovered at the
direction of Unity in which there is a beginning of the twentieth century.
center of coherence that interrelates the These three kinds of special numbers
plurality. Another direction you can go give us three ways to make a number
is in the direction of totality that includes exactly equal to the sum of its parts.
everything together despite a lack of That condition can either be satisfied in
integrity. These are two different the number itself, autonomously, which
directions that it is possible to travel is very rare. Or it can be satisfied by two
away from plurality toward totality and numbers for each other called amicable.
toward unity. Kant presents them as a Or it can be satisfied by a ring of such
dialectic, but in fact there is something numbers called sociable. In other words
that is missed by that way of looking at the condition can be satisfied after a
these categories which is the delay and through the mediation of other
combination between these two numbers which are different from itself.
directions which does not subsume unity Now this means that there is a further
through plurality to totality. In other differentiation of the Whole that is
words there is something that combines
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
exactly equal to the sum of its parts into is like the sociable number. However, in
three kinds. I have taken the liberty to my presentation I reverse the priority
develop a special systems theory related and say that the autopoietic system is
to each of these possibilities that are like the perfect number and the
presented us by number theory. I call dissipative system is like the amicable
these three possibilities Dissipative number. This is because in effect the
Ordering, Autopoietic Symbiotic, and dissipative system is like the number
Reflexive Social. In doing so I invoke a than needs another number to complete
specific theory that is related to each of itself and the autopoietic system
these Special Systems. The dissipative achieves a kind of unity and stability that
special system is related to the work of the dissipative system does not have.
Prigogine who defines dissipative This is because the dissipative system
structures as spreading negentropic order must expand whereas the autopoietic
in far from equilibrium systems. The system has a stable boundary. Thus the
autopoietic special system is related to dissipative system needs the other
the work of Maturana and Varela on number of the amicable set to help
Self-Producing Systems. The reflexive complete it and is continually moving
social special system is related to the toward that other number in the amicable
work of Barry Sandywell and John set. On the other hand the autopoietic
O'Malley on reflexive social system. I system achieves a kind of autonomy in
say dissipative ordering so you will its self production that gives it a sort of
know that it is order that is dissipating in unity which is like the perfect number in
a negentropic system. This is to avoid spite of it's structural duality made up of
the confusion that the word dissipation symbiotic dissipative special systems. So
on its own produces by suggesting that autopoietic systems have organizational
something is merely fading away as it unity like the perfect number in spite of
disperses. Instead in a dissipative their being made up at the structural
ordering system the environment of a level of two dissipative systems that are
different, or no, order is being converted in symbiosis with each other. Further
negentropically to the order that is two autopoietic systems conjuncted give
expanding within the special system of rise to the reflexive social system. The
this type. Instead of just autopoietic I most sociable number rings have four
add the word symbiotic to make it clear members and this is a structure
that an autopoietic system is not just a somewhat like the reflexive social
unity as Maturana and Varella suggest special system. However, instead of a
but is really a conjunction of two ring of dissiaptive systems these may be
dissipative systems in a symbiotic made up of two pairs of dissipative
relation. I add the word social to systems that produce two autopoietic
reflexive to distinguish this theory from systems in a symbiotic pair. So the
other reflexive theories that are perhaps analogy with the perfect, amicable, and
not social in their nature. In a straight sociable numbers from number theory is
forward way we can see that the not perfect. But it is a very close analogy
dissipative ordering system is like the to these three kinds of special system
perfect number, the autopoietic which differentiate wholes that are
symbiotic system is like the amicable exactly equal to the sum of their parts
number, and the reflexive social system sometimes after a delay and mediated
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
Osterweil has claimed that software What is interesting is that these Mobius
process is also software itself. Many formations can be glued together
anomalies in software engineering make topologically to create a higher level
it clear that these artifacts have some formation called the Kleinian Bottle. The
strange properties such as bootstraping analog of the Kleinian Bottle is the
languages that are written in themselves Nekker cube in the realm of perceptual
which are similar to those of the Mobius illusions. The Nekker cube is a pair of
strip, and gives some idea that gestalts that flip back and forth between
information machines are different from each other unstably so that we can not
physical machines in some peculiar hold onto one or the other indefinitely.
ways. It is possible to see dissipative There are a whole series of such
ordering systems on the form of the perceptual illusions that show the
negentropic structures of Prigogine in instabilities of the gestalt formations of
these terms. In other words such systems perception, like the image of the old
expand spreading their order from a woman and the young girl that appears
singularity toward their boundary at in most undergraduate textbooks in
which conversion of the environmental psychology. Now this higher level
order occurs. It is as if there were a flow formation is produced by conjuncting
of information from singularity to two Mobius strips of opposite twist. It
boundary which was self-perpetuating creates a figure that is like a bottle in
which feeds off of the disordering of the which the spout goes back though the
environment. Overall positive entropy side of the bottle to become a spout at
imbalance is maintained but locally there the bottom of the bottle. This surface is
is negative entropy. The surface of the also non-orientable and thus
boundary between the positively topologically anomalous. There are two
entropic and the negatively entropic is configurations of this figure. One as a
similar to the non-orientable surface of bottle and the other as a bifurcated figure
the Mobius strip. It has similar strange "8" tube that is twisted 180 degrees and
properties. It allows a reflection of the glued to itself. The Nekker Cube and the
ordering back to the singularity at the Klienian bottle together give us a picture
core of the dissipative special system in of the autopoietic symbiotic special
such a way that the waterfall of ordering system. Like the Kleinian bottle it is
gives rise to itself continually. There is made by conjuncting two lower level
the same strange disparity between the Mobius strips. It appears as a symbiosis
global appearance of positive entropy of these two lower level systems at the
increase and the local eddies of negative structural level and thus it is like the
entropy that make up the dissipative Nekker cube, each dissipative special
ordering special system. We probably system pops out as the figure on the
don't understand completely what is ground of the other dissipative special
going on in detail in these anomalous far system and we cannot hold the two in a
from equilibrium systems but it is clear stable formation perceptually. This is
that something strange is happening because at the organizational level they
which allows the appearance of what have fused completely into a higher
Kauffman in At Home in the Universe order non-orientiable anomalous form.
calls "spontaneous creation of order The Kleinian bottle like the autopoietic
from nowhere." system has the appearance of a closed
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
system which is yet open to interference developed by Maturana and Varela. Self
from the environment. This both open production is like the self intersection of
and closed at the same time aspect of the the Kleinian Bottle which produces
autopoietic system is what is specifically anomalous situations with respect to
referred to in the theory of Maturana and primary distinctions such as open and
Varela. With the bottle it is ambiguous closed or inside and outside. These
whether the surface is on the inside or mathematical analogies clarify the issues
the outside of the bottle. Since the bottle that seem even stranger when only
surface passes though itself it is expressed in terms of abstractions about
ambiguous whether it is open or closed. biological creatures and their
These paired ambiguities operate like the subsystems. Maturana and Varela's
Nekker like qualities of the two theory is like a kind of biological
dissipative systems at the structural level existentialism focused on the individual
but as global properties which are organism rather than the propagation of
balanced against each other at the the essence species. It has gained some
organizational level. The unity of the popularity recently because it draws
self-producing system arises from the attention to some phenomena that appear
fact that its surface, whether inside or in biological systems that are normally
outside, whether open or closed is all difficult to explain, such as the way the
non-orientable. This means it is like neurological system works, or the
Rienaman Spacetime which is globally immune system works, or how the whole
curved but locally flat. In other words organism operates. In fact, we could see
unlike the Mobius strip which is locally the organism as a conjunction of two
two sided and globally one sided there is "openly closed" systems neurological
instead a global coherence and local and immunological. The idea of their
incoherence. At the structural level this closure is that you cannot predict what
incoherence is between Nekker Cube they will do based on behavioristic input
gestalts playing back and forth freely because for the most part they are
and unstably. At the organizational level reacting to their own internal state. The
this incoherence is in the ambiguity problem of the immune system is to
between inside/outside and closed/open recognize its self. The problem of the
determinations. Locally there is neurological system is to recognize
coherence. You appear to be either other within the waking dreams of a real
inside or outside at any one spot on the world that we call consciousness. These
Kleinian Bottle surface. You can two openly closed systems are
imagine the crossover point where the conjuncted to produce an organism in
Kleinian Bottle self-intersects as being which inside and outside are ambiguous
open or closed in any one representation. as well as openness and closure.
But the illusion and ambiguity at the Consciousness spills over ecstatically
structural and organizational level take projected beyond our bodies. We are
over when we consider the form of the open to the world while enclosed in our
Kleinian Bottle globally. This bodies. Structurally we see logos and
topological example along with its dual physus (phusis) as twin gestalts that are
with regard to perceptual anomalies goes unstable like those in the Nekker cube.
a long way in explaining the oddities of Organizationally we realize that we are
the theory of Self Production which was really composed of mindbody, i.e. a non-
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
emergent structure that defines the along which solitons could be imagined
relations between elements that are to move. In fact a single positive soliton
conjuncted to give more complex levels on one side of a strip would be a
of structure. Another example of this is negative soliton on the other side of the
the soliton. A soliton is an anomalous strip. We could imagine breathers
wave that does not lose energy to existing on the surface of a Kleinian
entropy easily. Solitons travel down bottle. We could further imagine super-
troughs or channels and appear as humps breathers communicating between the
of water. They can pass through one surfaces of two Kleinian bottles that
another without losing energy, or bounce were joined into a hyper-Kleinian bottle.
off walls without losing energy. It turns Super-breathers exchange information
out that there are solitons, which are and energy instantaneously across
single waves that act like particles, but spacetime between breathers. So by the
there are also "breathers" which is a addition of the physical anomalous
conjunction of a positive and negative series we suddenly introduce movement
solitons falling into each other. Solitons and dynamism to what would have been
must move down their channel but a static model. Instantatons can
breathers are stationary. There are also exchange infoenergy between separate
things called instantaton's. These are Kleinian bottles non-ambiguously. With
solitons of potential energy that travel this exchange we can hypothesize that
though potential troughs and seem to there is the possibility of constructing
jump instantaneously from one point in perpetual information generating
spacetime to another. We hypothesize machines which have the ability to
that there is also a configuration called a produce the appearances that we saw in
super-breather that is a combination of a the Penrose Triangle, Nekker Cube and
pair of breathers by intermediary Tesseract. In other words the dynamic of
instantatons. Two breathers might then information exchange can produce the
exchange energy and information illusion that is the flip side of the
between each other by exchanging topological series thus tying together
instantatons rather than just having it's these two phenomena. So each set of
instantatons falling into each other as a mathematical anomalies in fact adds to
normal breather does. Notice that this our picture of the structure of the special
series: soliton, breather, super-breather is systems. Rather than independent views
produced by conjunction. Notice that we are in fact seeing different
each more complex level is emergent complementary aspects of the same
having its own special properties. Notice model.
also that the form involved is an
anomaly, in this case a physical anomaly When we say that we want to combine
rather than a mathematical anomaly. the anomalous model of the soliton
However, this series is interesting to series with the anomalous model of the
combine in a thought experiment with Mobius series with each other we need
the Mobius strip, Kleinian bottle, hyper- to be more precise about this
Klienian bottle series. The topological combination. If we imagine the Mobius
series is static while the physical series strip to be a kind of trough that the
is dynamic. And amazingly the Mobius soliton may travel within what we notice
strip can be seen as a kind of trough is that the same solition is on one side of
the Mobius strip a positive soliton (a
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
mound) and on the other side the same the exchange of instantatons between
soliton is negative (a depression). Thus breathers. This state of two hearts
the mobius strip as the medium for the beating as one is a definition of
propagation of the soliton causes the resonance synchronicity. It is an image
very same configuration to be both of the result of the Mysterium
positive and negative at the same time Conjunctus. Notice that the soliton needs
without any interference between the a containing trough in order to
two states because it is the Mobius strip propagate. When these two troughs are
that brings the positive and negative joined they produce a hermetically
aspects together in the same sealed container. Steve Rosen long ago
configuration. When we move up to the recognized that the Kleinian bottle is an
Klieinian bottle we would see that that image of this alchemical container. In
bottle can be seen as a conjunction of alchemy this container is like a bottle
mobius strips with opposite twists. Each which holds the prima materia as it
of these mobius strips can carry undergoes the transformational process.
combination positive and negative What we see here is a story of how the
solitons moving around each mobius bottle produces along with the soliton
strip as a trough. Now when we combine infoenergy packets traveling though the
the mobius strips to become a Kleinian Mobius strip step by step produces the
bottle then a self-intersection circle is more complex configuration of the
formed. At this self-intersection circle Kleinian and Hyper-Kleinian bottles
we can imagine the two solitons from with their breathers and super-breathers
each Mobius strip colliding in the self- at the point of self-intersection and other
intersection circle. At that point they intersection. And these more complex
may form a breather, which is stationary, configurations give us models of what
at the self-intersection circle. Since the might be meant by the Mysterium
Kleinian bottle is analogous to the Conjunctus if we consider that the ring
organism then this soliton breather might of intersection is like the wedding ring
be analogous to the organ of the beating and the super-breather in the zone of
heart. Now when we combine two self-other intersection is like the
Klienian bottles with their breathers into resonance and synchronicity between the
a hyper-Kleinian bottle what we would hearts of the two autopoietic organisms
get is a super-breather again at the producing a reflexive interaction that is
ambiguous double self-intersection zone symbiotic not just at the autopoietic level
of the two Kleinian bottles. This zone is but at the reflexive level as well. In this
composed of two circles which if way it becomes clear how these two
independent can define a four mathematical analogies when taken
dimensional sphere. Or it can be seen as together produce an interesting result
a three dimensional sphere which is the that would not be seen if we just applied
interface between two four dimensional them separately to defining the Special
spaces each of which contains one of the Systems.
hyper-Kleinian bottles. The super-
breather at the self-intersection of the The most important of these various
two Kleinian bottles in the Hyper- analogies for the Special Systems is that
Kleinian bottle may be seen as two
hearts beating as one, made possible by
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
pointed out that a complex algebra is the complex plane. That orthogonality is
like two mirrors facing each other. A dependent on a fundamental double
quaternion algebra is like three mirrors mirroring that is worked out with the
facing each other. An octonion algebra is complex algebra. So rotation of the
like four mirrors facing each other in a complex plane [-1 -> i -> 1 -> -i] is
tetrahedral formation. Onar Aam similar to the non-duality of the non-
produced the first pictures of the orientability of the Mobius surface. But
equivalent of the Mandelbrot set for a hidden property of the complex plane
Octonions. It has been known for some is the trace level patterning of intensities
time that there are quaternion of lines of flight that occur with
Mandelbrot set equivalents, but Onar repetitions of formula in the complex
Aam showed that the same was true of space. A similar sort of transformation
Octonions algebras. We have referred to occurs when moving from the Mobius
these as ‘Aambrot’ sets which is the next strip to the Kleinain bottle. We get the
level beyond the Quaterbrot sets. It is four dimensional space which is
very significant that the Mandelbrot set glimpsed at the reflexive level being
appears in the complex plane. Each point produced since the quaternion is the
in the plane has its own escape velocity transformational basis of four
and that produces the infinitely deep dimensional space. The quaternion is
patterning of the Mandelbrot set (the two orthogonal complexnions. But there
most complex mathematical object is a symmetry breaking that produces the
known). So it is for the Quaterbrot and quaternion out of a pair of conjuncted
Aambrot sets each point in four complexnions. This symmetry breaking
dimensional space and eight dimensional is like the difference between the two
space has its own escape velocity possible Kleinian bottle representations.
discovered though iteration which One is symmetrical the other is
produces a deep trace level pattern asymmetrical. Quaternions allow robot
within that hyper-complex space. It arm movements to be calculated without
should also be noted that according to S. singularities that cause stopping of the
Donaldson the fourth dimension also has arm rotations in three-dimensional
infinite fake differential topologies space. This is the main use of
unlike the finite topologies of other Quaternions in physics. So there is an
dimensions. Notice then that the two, effective aspect of Quaternions, which is
four and eight dimensional spaces have equal to the undoing of all knots in four-
this important trace level Mandelbrot dimensional space. In Quaternion
patterning but in the fourth dimension, algebra the loss of the commutative
i.e. the dimension of the autopoietic property causes actions to matter
special system there is also infinite because we cannot reverse them without
differential topological ramification. additional effort. In autopoietic systems
the focus is on behavior. But the knots
When we add this information to our which are tied by three-dimensional
prior topological model we see that behavior actually fall apart in four-
topologies open up to metric spaces and dimensional space. These knots do not
metric spaces are measured by algebraic hold except in the local three-
series. The same level that had effective dimensional realm -- they fall apart in
non-duality with the Mobius strip can be the global four-dimensional space. We
conceived as having the orthogonality of
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
watch the closed autopoietic system and because of the loss of the associative
we notice that responses do not follow property. It matters who sets next to
from stimuli, this is because it is acting whom at the dinner table. The Octonion
out series of inner states that cannot be algebra defines the metric field space
willy-nilly retraced at will. Rather an within which the hyper-Kleinian bottle
action that leads to a state may take exists. The hyper-Kleinian bottles are
many other actions to reverse than the autopoietic systems images. They move
action that caused it in the first place. about and relate to one another,
Yet, four dimensional space has an ultra- sometimes sharing the same circles of
efficacy (ultra-efficiency plus ultra- ambiguity, i.e. married but other times
effectiveness) which we see in the not. They are exchanging infoenergy, i.e.
autopoietic special system. This ultra- chi or shakti, via super-breather
efficacy is the dual of the differing and instantatons with other organisms in a
deferring of Differance talked about by realm where association is everything. In
Derrida. In organisms we call it life. this social field there are attempts to
Bergson called it elan vital. This bring to bare the ultra-efficacy of the
ambiguous topology that we identify fourth dimension in these social relations
with the Kleinian bottle dips into the as with mentalization cutting though the
ultra-efficacy of the fourth dimension. he said, she said images that infest the
This is the key to the production of reflexive space. Mentalization is the
perfect balance between lack and surplus ultra-efficacy of the reflexive social
which makes the autopoietic system realm, as organic unity is the ultra-
special. It can self produce because it has efficacy of the autopoietic symbiotic
tapped into this ultra-efficacy which realm, and negentropy is the ultra-
allows it to have no distance between efficacy of the dissipative ordering
original and copy. Perfect self and other realm. The touchstone of mentalization
recognition is possible at this unique is the actual fusion in the marriage
point that allows us to push off the drift where hyper-Kleinian Self-intersections
away from ourselves toward the other or overlap. Each sort of special system has
the other towards ourselves. The true its own form of ultra-efficacy that inhere
Self and Other-within-the self can be in wholes that are exactly equal to the
non-nihilistically recognized within the sum of their parts, either immediately
autopoietic system because of this like the Autopoietic System, or though
possibility of bringing the ordering of another as it is with the Dissipative
the fourth dimension into embodiment Special System, or though a series of
within the limited spacetime of self- others like it is with the Reflexive
production. Autopoietic Special System. We say the
amicable numbers are associated with
Similarly when we move to the Hyper- the dissipative because they are out of
Kleinian level we begin to see this in the balance by themselves. As in the myth of
real relations between self and other, the Symposium of Plato given by
rather than merely the internalization of Aristophanes each is searching for its
that distinction. It is the shadows of the other half. Whereas when those other
fourth dimensional objects moving that halves are found then there is a
we intuit their structure. This is the level wholeness and balance that does not
of the Octonion algebra with its metric occur otherwise.
geometry. Here social relations matter
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
an also more easily tested and refuted. the rubric of the same theory. In other
This is the beginning of a mathematical words it is a general theory of special
sociology, which is also a psychology, systems that is made more concrete
and a biology all wrapped together. It is when applied to biological structures,
inherently interdisciplinary because the individual organisms, and social fabrics
emergent jumps take us from one or fields. It could be used to understand
discipline to another. It is the emergent living things from another planet, which
jumps that are used to define the had a completely different biological
boundaries of the disciplines. This way basis, or morphology, or social structure.
of modeling uses mathematics as the But it gives us clues as to what to look
glue that connects the disciplines. It also for in those alien creatures, their
orders our expectations as to the biological infrastructure and their social
organization of the various emergent superstructures. This xeno-bio-psycho-
levels. There are probably many more sociology is possible because the
anomalous mathematical relations that mathematical, physical, logical and
can be brought to bear to explain perhaps schematic constraints would be
Reflexive Autopoietic Dissipative the same throughout the universe.
Special Systems Theory. I have only
tried to deal with a few that might allow Reflexive Sociology can only really be
others to see the reasoning behind this understood on the basis of an
approach. I think it is the first such Autopoietic Symbiotic view of the
sociological theory where the organism, and upon a Dissipative
mathematics drives the structure of the Ordering view of the organs and the rest
theory. Anomalous mathematical objects of the biological infrastructure.
are used to describe the emergent Reflexive Psychology and its Jungian or
relations between levels of anomalous Archetypal shadow is likewise based on
phenomena. It is an attempt to make this same insight into Special Systems
Sociology, Psychology, Biology like Theory. Reflexive Psychology, as
mathematical physics in as much as the imaginal or archetypal is about the meta-
theory is structured by the mathematics system within the closed autopoietic
and then is tested against the system while Reflexive Sociology is
phenomena. The mathematics makes the about the field that mirrors it on the
theory have a certain shape that is outside of the autopoietic system.
perhaps counter intuitive so we learn Reflexive Sociology and Reflexive
from the math and then we learn from Psychology, called Archetypal
nature as we see how it fits that same Psychology or Imaginal Psychology in
mold or not as the case may be. It allows other forums, are mirrors of each other
us to describe very precisely the that both explore the reflexive field from
emergent jumps between levels, how the different perspectives, i.e. inward or
complexity of higher levels is achieved, outward perspectives. But we know from
how elements are conjuncted rather than the Kleinian Bottle example that these
connected in other ways. How the ultra- are ambiguous with respect to each
efficaciousness of the various special other. We call the hyper-complex
systems is achieved. How other numbers imaginary for good reason. We
phenomena with similar ultra-efficacious call the levels of organization inwardly
characteristics may be understood under that mirror the special systems
archetypal. In other words, special
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
systems theory gives us a mathematical the dissipative is next most likely, and
basis for understanding the structuring of the autopoietic is least likely.
the archetypes that Jung identified and
that Hillman has explored more recently. The only thing left to mention is that
Jung had a profound insight when he there is a combination of these various
used Alchemy as the basis of his special systems and the normal system
psychology. Alchemy of Bolos of together to form what is called an
Mende was a early version of Special Emergent Meta-system which is an
Systems Theory which traces it's roots image of the dynamic implicit within the
back to the works of Plato who was meta-system. All four system views
keenly aware of the special systems and conjunct to produce a cyclical dynamic
their organization. The first sociology whereby order arises spontaneously out
was a sociology of special system and it of the meta-system. This order gives us
appeared in the Laws and the Republic some insight into the nature of Gaia. In
of Plato as well as the Timaeus. Plato other words all ecologies are meta-
described the different kinds of cities. systems and they differentiate
The Republic and Ancient Athens spontaneously into ultra-efficacious
describes a Dissipative Special System. special systems and normal systems
The Laws describes an Autopoietic under entropy. In effect this says that
Special System. Atlantis describes a Gaia does have an inherent structure but
Reflexive Special System. The city of because the non-division algebras
the Laws is furthest from the influence dominate the meta-system, like the
of the sea. The city of the Republic sedenion and beyond, we have difficulty
which represents a form of Hell on recognizing these subtle field effects.
Earth, because it is a city for the Gods, is However, a proper reflexive sociology
close to the Sea. And the ancient enemy would be acutely aware of the nature of
of Athens, i.e. Atlantis, is within the Sea the meta-system as explained by Arkady
and engulfed by it. Plato's goal was to Plotnitsky in Complementarities.
produce a city that lived long like those Bataille calls the Meta-system a ‘general
of the Egyptians. It is therefore no economy’ and the system a ‘restricted
accident that the Gods (Ntr) of the economy.’ Between the restricted and
Egyptians has the structure of the general economy what he did not notice
Special Systems. The Primal Gods called is that there are partially specified
the Ogdad is an image of the Reflexive economies that are not fully restricted.
Octonion. The intermediary gods of These are special economies that are
nature are an image of the Dissipative ultra-efficacious. An example of this is
Complexnions. The final gods of the last the relation between the Metaxological
generation including Osiris and Isis are (Study of the Betweeen) and the
images of the Autopoietic Quaternions. Dialectical in the philosophy of William
Notice the series Reflexive, Dissipative, Desmond in Being and the Between14.
Autopoietic. This is the same series that The dialectic is a "system" as Arkady
Plato uses in relation to the sea. In other Plotnitsky shows In The Shadow of
words this is the order of remove from Hegel. Both Plotnitsky and Desmond
the sea of flux under the spell of entropy.
The reflexive is most prone to disperse 14
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
nature of these three kinds of system. in the sense that David Bohm15 meant.
Until our attention is drawn to it, as say
But we have a problem in our tradition the Tao Te Ching does when it talks
called dualism. This is established by about useful voids, we tend not to see
Aristotle with his postulation of the the wholes less than the sum of their
principle of Excluded Middle, or Non- parts which are de-emergent and we see
contradiction, which he claims is the only the wholes that are greater than the
highest metaphysical principle. We sum of their parts which are emergent,
cannot see the special systems because i.e. have properties that cannot be
we can only really see dualisms, such as achieved by their disjointed parts. But
those of Descartes like the dichotomies even though we have a hard time
between mind and body, individual and understanding supervenience, i.e. the
society, structure and function, etc. But way that higher level properties map
not only does dualism blind us from down to their substrates which
seeing the special systems, it also blinds sometimes produce emergent global
us from seeing what I call the meta- effects not seen locally in systems, it is
system, i.e. the inverse opposite of the still easier to think about how parts can
system, that is what is beyond the add up to more than the sum of their
system. 'Meta' here is meant in the sense parts than it is to think about how parts
of Beyond, i.e. what is beyond the can add up to less than the sum of their
system. In order to see the special parts. But some examples should help. A
systems we first need to see the meta- good example of a meta-system is an
system as its inverse opposite. Let us operating system in a computer. What
think of a meta-system as the does it do? It is hard to say because it
environment, ecosystem, situation, merely helps applications work together.
milieu, context of the system and the If it had no applications installed into it
anti-system. A meta-system is the then the operating system would seem to
inverse opposite of the system and do nothing, in fact less than nothing
gestalt because instead of being a whole because it might seem as an impediment
that is greater than the sum of its parts it to doing anything, especially if you tried
is instead a whole that is less than a sum to install programs that were written for
of its parts, i.e. a whole full of holes. a different operating system into another
Meta-systems are full of niches into brand of operating system, for instance
which systems fit. They are perfectly MAC applications into a Windows
suited to each other in as much as one Operating System. The operating system
fits into the other like a hand fitting into would stop you from even reading the
a glove. We tend to only think of the disks and would fail. Meta-systems act
systems we build, i.e. the positive social as filters excluding things that do not
gestalts we see in the environment. But belong in the environment they control.
what we miss are the places that make Systems to operate in a meta-system
room for those positive gestalts which must be tailor made to do so. The more
we might say are organized differently rigorous analogy is between the Turing
than a system. In perceptual terms we Machine and the Universal Turing
might call them proto-gestalts, because Machine. A Universal Turing Machine is
they organize the order of our glance an operating system that runs Turing
from gestalt to gestalt. They have an
implicate rather than an explicate order 15
Wholeness and the Implicate Order.
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
And what is interesting is that the system. We have good terms for all the
reflexivity hinges on our being able to other schemas discovered by General
perceive and react behaviorally to other Schemas theory such as the Pluriverse,
creatures, especially other sapien Kosmos, World, Domain, {Meta-
species, especially our own species, and system,} System, Form, Pattern, Monad
thereby referring not just to ourselves and Facet. But there is no good term for
with respect to others but referring to Meta-system. Instead there are myriad
others with respect to ourselves by domain specific terms such as milieu,
language, and gesture, and cultural context, situation, environment,
productions etc. When you start looking ecosystem, field, media, etc. But once
at sociology in this way, through the you grasp the schema of the meta-system
magic mirror of reflexivity one begins to then you will find it everywhere, and see
see everything, even the physical world, that academics have struggled to express
that appears to us only it in myriad ways. Understanding that
phenomenologically, as an aspect of our society is a characteristic example of a
reflexivity. And that reflexive self meta-systemic phenomenon at a
referencing in the context of the other is particular level of ontic emergence is
only possible because there are easy. What is not so easy is to see that
differences between systems and meta- from a formal point of view the meta-
systems. Systems and Meta-systems are system is a whole less than the sum of its
schemas that are the conceptual parts. How is society a whole less than
equivalent of the Gestalt and the Proto- the sum of its parts. Society is what is
gestalt. We have to make up these terms left when you take away all the
"meta-system" and "proto-gestalt" individuals that form the society? What
because our language does not have does that mean? It means that if we
good terms for them. Not even our consider individualism an illusion, and
technical vocabulary has developed good notice that social relations come first
terms of reference for these inversions of before individuals, then society is that
the system, because we have a blind spot always already there milieu that
in our dualistic culture for what lies individuals discover themselves within
between and before the dualities. The and develop their individuality in
meta-system lies before and between the relation to. In other words as Durkheim
dualities. It is what is excluded by and other sociologists have pointed out
excluded middle. It is the field between society comes first ontologically before
the system and the anti-system which individuals. Individualistic society
has been systematically excluded by comes second after a pre-individualistic
Aristotle's principle of non- society, which is our primal social
contradiction. Conceptually we are blind ground. That primal social ground is a
to it. Perceptually we ignore it. But it is meta-system within which the systems
the field though which reflection and of social individuals appear, interact and
reflexion occur. Without this field there disappear. The reason that Sociology as
could be no conceptual reflection nor a science has had such a hard time
behavioral reflexion. It is why the social establishing itself, is that once dualistic
as a concept is so difficult to pin down, and individualistic society corrupts and
because the social itself is one of the displaces the primal social ground then it
myriad fragmented images of the meta- is hard to see the field effects prior to the
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
arising of individuals from which social systems theory and practice. But let us
individuals are forged. Sociology like not stop there because the sort of
Ecology is an intrinsic meta-systemic reflexivity that the environment allows
discipline. That is why they can so easily us to establish is really just the
meld into a sub-discipline like social beginning of a series of levels of the
ecology. But that is also why sociology unfolding of reflexive reference within
and ecology have such a hard time society. By looking at these levels we
establishing their scientific credentials. are exploring the inner nature of all
Disciplines that study systems are not in reflexive fields. The reflexive fields are
the blind spot of our culture that not monolithic, but are instead
obscures meta-systems. That is why segmented in emergent ways, in one
sociology is a very important discipline. direction, de-emergent ways in the other
It's theory has to come to terms with the direction. If you are traveling from the
meta-system in some way and confront meta-system to the system then there are
the a major blindspot of our dualistic particular stages of emergence, where
culture and tradition. Ecology addresses there is a quantum leap in organizational
the side effects of systems within the capacity. On the other hand if you are
environment. Sociology addresses the going from system to meta-system there
side effects of individualism in our are also thresholds in which
culture. On a small fragile planet in the organizational capacity is lost. These are
vast wastes of space we must stop very specific thresholds called the
destroying non-renewable resources and special systems. They correspond to
other creatures and we must learn to get organ, organism, and reproductive
along with each other. It is no accident binary organization of two organisms.
that both ecology and sociology appear They stand between the extremes of the
together in this summary of the most society of cells of all kinds in the body
important task of humanity in the age of as a whole, and the social field itself
globalization. Recognizing the between individuals of our species and
worldwide meta-system and how the all species on the other hand. Here of
various systems fit into that meta-system course we want some term to distinguish
is the task of a future discipline of Meta- the social field prior to the arising of the
systems Theory and Practice of which individual human and we will use the
sociology and ecology are the first term from Deleuze and Guattari called
embodying disciplines. Whether we are ‘socius’ for that primal social field. We
able to rise to this challenge is will use the term ‘gaia’ for the field prior
something yet to be seen. But slowly to the arising of the difference between
both Sociology and Ecology are all the organisms of different kinds on
shedding the scales from their eyes and the planet. In other words socius and
seeing beyond systems into the meta- gaia are proto-gestalts, something
systemic fields that must be explored if coming before the gestalt is recognized,
we are to realize the full potentials of like the movement of the eyes from
these new and essentially different meta- gestalt to gestalt prior to the recognition
systemic disciplines. of any particular gestalt. Thus there is a
socius that is the social field prior to any
So let us begin by recognizing the individuals being differentiated, and the
importance of developing meta-systems gaian field which extends that to all
theory and practice as the inverse dual of
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
special system, and the reflexive social organization that appears between
special system. Each of these special system and meta-system. In the first
systems represents systems that are section of this paper I have suggested
exactly equal to the sum of their parts some of these mathematical analogies. In
formed by conjunction and expressing my paper Reflexive Autopoietic
ultra-efficacy. An example of this sort of Dissipative Special Systems Theory I go
ultra-efficacy is consciousness. These further suggesting other analogies. There
special systems are specific levels of is a whole series of studies called
organization below the gaian field or the Reflexive Autopoietic Systems Theory
socius field considered in their planetary that attempt to explore the implications
scope. We can see them as related to the of this theory. And then there are papers
organ, organism, and the reproductive written for ISSS and INCOSE
binary couple. They are the levels of conferences that attempt to present them
organization achieved after the most to specific audiences. Here we will not
primitive cells begin to co-evolve. The repeat that material. Rather our focus is
primitive proto-cell is the prototype for on why it is important to attempt to
the more developed cells we see around distinguish these emergent levels of
us today that are fully co-evolved. But ordering mathematically16.
what Special Systems Theory tells us is
that this is not something specific to Mathematics is used in Physics to build
evolution of life. But that this is a theories that are structured on the basis
formally differentiated set of possible of various mathematical categories. But
schemas that exist between the system Sociology and other social science
and the meta-system. In other words we disciplines find it harder to apply
need to generalize from life, mathematics to their theory building
consciousness, and the social as ultra- enterprises. But here I want to suggest
efficacious phenomena that are based on that this is not because mathematics does
possibilities grounded by the special not lend itself to this purpose, but
systems to the formal grounds because social scientists have not
themselves in schemas, i.e. templates of approached mathematics in the right
understanding and organization that are way. A lot of new math has appeared
ultra-efficacious and produced uniquely over the last century. Sociologists tend
by conjunction where the wholes are to learn only rudimentary math perhaps
exactly equal to the sum of their parts. up to Calculus but emphasizing
Special Systems theory is general like Statistics. Higher mathematics is not
systems theory or ecological meta- studied for the most part, because it is
systems theory and this generality allows assumed that it will not help in any
us to look for other phenomena significant way the theoretical
organized by this same schema that is sociologist. But allow me to question
not living, conscious or social. And it is that assumption. Sociologists should
through the generality that we can study all social phenomena, we have
approach the mathematical analogies sociology of science, sociology of
that supports our intuition that there technology, and we turn around and use
must be different levels of organization science and technology in our lives as
at work here with specific emergent well. So why not sociology of math in
properties appearing at each level of
16
See http://schematheory.net
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
which we turn around and use the math sometimes is use a series of groups to
in our theorizing. In other words there is explain the jumps in organization
no intrinsic barrier to studying the social between different physical phenomena.
invention and construction of But this rarely used way of approaching
mathematical categories, and there is no the segmentation of phenomena based
reason not to turn around and use the on the segmentation of mathematical
mathematics in our own theory building categories can be appropriated by us as
endeavors. Thus I hope in the future that sociologists as a way to frame our
graduate students in sociology will take theories of emergent phenomena. If we
it upon themselves to search the vast do that we move from the philosophy of
imaginary space produced by science of Aristotle to that of Plato.
mathematicians in the last century for Aristotle's philosophy of science is about
analogies and useful structures for the common view of things. Plato
constructing theories in the future, just stresses the anomalies and exceptions as
as physicists do today. I have done that exemplars. So why not search
and have found that by looking at the mathematics for anomalies in the
mathematical categories in a different segmentation of categories and use those
way than normally done, it is possible to anomalies to explain anomalous sorts of
see how some of these mathematical systems, such as living systems,
structures can be used to help produce conscious systems, and social systems.
theories useful in sociology and other As we do so we realize that living things
disciplines. Instead of using the are themselves meta-systems for each
categories themselves as is normally other though predator prey relations.
done, I have focused on the differences Consciousness is a meta-system as is the
between categories and found in those social. They are fields that contain other
differences a useful analogy for the phenomena. The dictum is that
jumps from one organizational level to anomalies of difference between
another, such as those we have been mathematical categories elucidate the
talking about. In other words, the jump differences between anomalous
from system to meta-system, and within phenomena. That is what makes these
that jump the sub-jumps between sorts of systems special. They are
dissipative, autopoietic and reflexive anomalous in their characteristics. Those
special systems can be modeled with anomalous characteristics are analogous
various mathematical structures from to the anomalous mathematical
extremely simple to the very complex. In characteristics of various categories
our discipline it is the emergent jumps relations to each other found throughout
between levels of organization that is so the mathematical realm. It is a simple
troublesome to explain. Why not use the idea that anomalous differences between
differences between mathematical categories in math elucidate the
categories as analogies to explain them? anomalous differences between
It is a different approach than physicists phenomena. Whereas in physics the
use in their appropriation of tendency is to use categories to explain
mathematical categories. They usually sameness and continuity by using whole
use a whole category to represent the categories to isomorphically encapsulate
ordering of some phenomena, like a the ordering of a phenomenon. The
group. What they do less, but still do novel use proposed here the social
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enough we see clear signs of it when we self-reflection may occur. But the first
study the relations of the generations of special system which is dissipative
the Egyptian gods to each other. This ordering has two mirrors that face each
gives us good reason to suspect that other like those seen in many barber
Alchemy that also arose in Egypt as well shops. Onar Aam discovered this
as China was originally a science of analogy between mirrors and the
Special Systems. So at the end I am hypercomplex algebras. The complex
suggesting that Sociologists and algebra is like two mirrors facing each
Psychologists return from the land of other. As we move up the series we
entropic explanations of systems and discover that the autopoietic symbiotic
meta-systems to reclaim the heritage of special system is like three mirrors
Alchemy and concentrate on the facing each other which is analogous to
description of holonomic special systems the quaternion hypercomplex algebra.
as transformative alchemical systems. Moving up again we find that the
We should as Jung suggested all become reflexive social special system is like
modern day alchemists. Jung said that four mirrors facing each other, forming
the first psychologists were alchemists, an inwardly mirrored tetrahedron. It is
now we can understand that perhaps the related to the Octonion hypercomplex
first sociologists were alchemists too as algebra. Beyond that there is no way to
they traced their roots to Plato. face regular non-distorted mirrors to face
each other, so we then enter the mirror
house of distorted mirrors where there
Reflexive Being and Existence are five or more mirrors facing each
other there must be some distortion. This
We have proposed a theory, which is similar to the mathematical fact that
intertwines Being and Existence as a equations of degree five cannot be
means of comprehending the nature of solved due to limitations of group
Reflexive Sociality. A good model of operations of the group A5. There is a
reflexivity is that given by Damjan natural limit here that shows up
Bojadziev19 on his web pages20. We will mathematically in various realms of
use this model and extend it in order to mathematics. We associate the mirror
explore the concept of the reflexive house with the Meta-system which is
social system. Bojadziev in his work has related to the general economy of
produced an analogy between Godel's Bataille. The Meta-system is related to
incompleteness theorem and mirror the sedenion hypercomplex algebra and
reflection. He has linked that work to other higher non-division algebras. So
Lacan's work on the mirror stage in the question becomes how to extend the
infant development. But we are formalism of Bojadziev to cover these
concerned with something more more complex cases of reflexivity. Here
complex, which is social reflexivity. The in the last section of this paper we will
special systems have an analogy with attempt to make this extension. What is
mirrors. A normal real (or true, or important to recognize here is that the
present, or identical) system is one in special systems are extensions of this
which there is just one mirror in which model of self-reflection and self-
recognition that has its roots in the work
19
http://nl.ijs.si/~damjan/me.html of Godel. It is in fact the model of the
20
http://nl.ijs.si/~damjan/is-2001/is-2001-1.html
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
inwardly mirroring tetrahedron that are ways of seeing into this mirroring in
corresponds to the reflexive level, but which the three-dimensional world is
each level has a concatenation of mirrors embedded. In fact, the recent work on
of lesser complexity that must be doubly special relativity is very
recognized. So reflexivity is shot interesting because it establishes two
through and through the real as well as observer independent thresholds, not just
the special and the meta-systems. We are light but also the plank's constant and
talking about a formal hierarchy of thus ties together quantum mechanics
mirroring configurations that can occur and relativity theory. Both of these
in three-dimensional space. Four- theories use complex numbers as a way
dimensional space in its relation to three- of expressing their fundamental
dimensional space can be seen as a descriptions of nature. When we
mirroring configuration as well. That combine them we come up from the
configuration is external to the three pairs of complex representations in
dimensional in as much as each three- Relativity and Quantum Mechanics to
dimensional space is embedded as a slice the Quaternion level through a symmetry
through four-dimensional space. The breaking in Double Special Relativity
two sides of that slice can be seen as that as not been explained yet to my
mirrors. There are four three knowledge. Use of complex numbers
dimensional spaces in this four- suggests mirroring. So that when we are
dimensional space with one of these looking out at nature we are seeing
designated as real, identical, present and mirrors at a fundamental level in the
true. All these three dimensional spaces physus. This is the connection between
together have twelve virtual axes. Four physics and reflexivity that we need to
dimensional space is the Quaternionic emphasize. To the extent that physics
relation between these twelve virtual appeals to hypercomplex algebras to
axes which sets up four dimensional describe nature it is projecting reflexive
space as a set of three mirrorings facing mirrors at the fundamental level of
the real three dimensional space in nature and seeing the universe as
relation to the other three. The four reflexive. This same reflexivity places
together have octonionic relations to limits via Godel's theorem on our ability
each other creating the inwardly to build self-contained descriptions of
mirrored tetrahedron. So the three systems. Systems always spill over into
mirrors facing each other at the meta-systems. And that spill over
autopoietic level only exists if one contains glimpses of more subtle
designates one of the three dimensional thresholds of organization of self-
subspaces as real. The two mirrors reflexivity that are indicated by the
facing each other are the two on either theory of the special systems.
side of the three dimensional slice. The
single mirror is the three-dimensional All the special systems are models of
slice itself in its relation to the other existence as opposed to Being. We have
three dimensional subspaces that make noted the complementarity between
up four dimensional space. This means these models and the fragmentation of
that our concepts of four dimensional Being into meta-levels. The meta-levels
space, such as those that abound in of being demark the discontinuities
physics as special relativity for example, between the levels of normal, special
and meta-systems. On the other hand the
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
itself, because science itself operates on Met gaze between self and other directly
the basis of the undistorted reflexivity
that we are describing based on formal What is interesting is how the various
and mathematical models. aspects of Being fit easily into this
scenario of multiple mirrors. Presences
are broken up within the images in the
Higher Order models of Self-Other mirrors. Truth amounts to the use of the
Recognition mirrors as prosthetics as if they are
actual senses, which Umberto Eco
Based on the work of Bojadziev we can
advocates. Reality is the testing of
compose higher order models of Self-
images against direct seeing. Identity has
Other Recognition. In these higher order
to do with how the various ways of
models we will have two, three, four
looking at things sometimes coincide so
mirrors. We can extend his mathematical
that the ramifications of images fall
notation. Instead of F--d--à G and
away. For instance, when we meet the
P(d(x)) = F è P(d(F) = G we will have
gaze of the other though the mirrors.
also H----eà I and P(e(y) = H è
This is equivalent to mentalization. In
P(e(H)) = I. But notice that there is also
mentalization we know what the other
directed gaze at the other F--a-à H or
knows despite all the multiple images of
H--a'-à F and recognition of the other
their possible knowledge via our theory
G---b-à I or I ---b'-à G besides
of mind that we project onto them.
recognition of the self in the other mirror
Theory of mind is really based on
P(e(x)) = F è P(e(F) = G and P(d(y) =
mutual self-other recognition. When
H è P(d(H)) = I. This whole situation
mutual self-other recognition occurs the
gets very complex. Here is a resume of
false images that are produced fall away.
possible scenarios.
But in the mirror house between the
mirrors the false images proliferate and
Direct seeing of part of the self that is why we have the aspects of Being
Looking at the other directly as a means of sorting out what is true
Looking at the self in mirror A and real, identical and present. The
Looking at the other in mirror A aspects of Being are adapted to the
Looking at the other in mirror B mirror house. That is why they are those
Looking at the self in mirror B aspects and no others. They are the
Self-recognition in mirror A adaptation to the mirror house and our
Other recognition in mirror B means of cutting though the mirror
Other recognition in mirror A images. The mirrors stand for any
Self-recognition in mirror B coding medium, for instance it could be
Identity between self-recognitions in two language. Truth is the correctness of the
mirrors image in the coding medium. Reality is
Identity between other-recognitions in when we compare the images to the
tow mirrors actual things we can look at without the
Identity between other-recognitions and coding medium. Presence is the
direct seeing appearance of the images as absences
Ramified images over against the actual presence of the
Met gaze between self and other through thing that is generating the images.
mirror Identity is when different perspectives
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
within the mirror house coincide. The stable all space filling structure. This
aspects of Being actually lock together collapses when you add the fifth agent.
to give us a way of navigating within the Either you go into the mirror house if
mirror house. This is a major finding you stay in the third dimension or if you
because it has always been a question as move into the fourth dimension then you
to why these aspects and no others. It is get intersecting and interpenetrating
because of the self-reflexivity within the mirrors. This is just like the
environment of multiple mirrorings. The impossibility of solving fifth degree
aspects are needed as a guide in that equations due to the A5 group's
environment. We often see one mirror, interference. It is just like the breakdown
but only occasionally see two facing of Being into Existence at the fifth meta-
mirrors, most likely in bathrooms. But level. It is not so much that three is a
we rarely see three facing mirrors and crowd but that five is a crowd. Three is a
almost never see four facing mirrors. dialectic, four is stable, and five is a
However, almost everyone has mirror house or an interpenetrating
experienced the distorted mirrors of a higher dimensional landscape of mirrors
fun house. We can look at it as the first such as you get in the pentahedron of
mirror is my private language and the four dimensional space which can be
second mirror is your private language. seen as five interpenetrated tetrahedrons.
The third mirror can be seen as our These five interpenetrated tetrahedrons
public language as we are immersed in can be described by two mobius strips
the chatter of the They. This means that and thus is a Kleinian Bottle.
the fourth mirror is the language of the
Other, i.e. the chatter of Them as What we see is that the Platonic forms
opposed to Us. An interesting thing is are inscribed into the mirror space set up
that the relations between the F->G i.e. by the self-reflexive formations as a
percept to concept, self to self- means of producing stability. The
recognition, in the case where there are icosahedron-dodacahedron have a five
two agents gives us a tetrahedron. In the fold symmetry that is based on the group
case of three agents gives us an A5 and that is the same group as the 4D
Octohedron. In the case of four agents Pentahedron. So the icosahedron-
gives us a Cube. Notice that the dodacahedron structure relates to the
Octohedron has the property of non-self- level of the fifth agent and the fifth
interfering flow. Notice that the Cube is mirror if we stay within the third
the epitome of stability. A tetrahedron is dimension. But exactly the same group
the smallest possible 3D solid. Also structures appears in the four
notice that the octahedron forms a triple dimensional level where we have
helix as it moves up the shaft between interpenetrated mirrors instead. We also
the three mirrors. This is the form of an know that there are Penrose five fold
unfolding dialectic. The tetrahedron tilings that are apeirodic. So even though
connects the percept of the one to the the five fold tiling is not all space filling
concept of the other and vice versa in a there are aperiodic tilings that can
stable fashion. When a third agent enters simulate all space filling that are related
we immediately fall into a dialectic to the icosa/dodaca-hedron structure.
which has optimal flow in its unfolding. The mirror house is not without its own
When the fourth agent enters we get a possible forms of dynamic order. The
Sedenion has islands of divisible order
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
content. Did you ever dream something absence is Es Gibt (It Gives).
that could not be specified by a schema? Underlying the Es Gibt is the Er-eignis,
In our dreams we meet others, who we the owning/happening/appropriation.
did not know before and interact with And thus we enter the cascade of the
them. We do not know who these others roots of Being specified in Primal
are. The others are many times creatures Ontology and Archaic Existentiality.
like ourselves, or animals, or monsters, The simultaneity of the dream is the
or jinn. What ever they are they are primal temporality that flows from the
forms forming, filled with patterns roots of Being. Central to that is the
patterning, within systems systemizing, Bheu, or the Beon, i.e. Being the
or meta-systems meta-systemizing, etc. fundamental sense that is related to
We focus on the others that are like us physus and logos. There is an enframing
animate beings. But many times we are of the form (Sein/Seyn)
captivated by the patterns, or other sorts Es/Er//Bheu//Wes/Wer. The Sein/Seyn
of forms, or other sorts of systems, or differentiation is between Presence and
other sorts of meta-systems that are not Absence, Fiction and Truth, Illusion and
directly related to the animate beings Reality, Identity and Difference. For
like ourselves that inhabit our dreams. instance, in the Divided Line of Plato
The key point here is that schemas allow there is the difference between sensation
a multiplicity of simultaneous figures or (presence) and image (illusion). This is
images at the same ontological emergent the side of precept that is related to the
level. We are projecting schemas in our flux of Heraclitus. On the side of
sleep when we are dreaming, and we are concept there are both representable and
projecting them when we are awake. non-representable intelligibles. These
When we wake up, however, we intelligibles are made possible by giving
temporalize the dream into a sequence preference to identity over difference, or
from its network of simultaneous nodes truth over fiction. Thus Plato’s source
associated with affect. The dreams are forms produce identity by pervading all
like the images we see in the mirror, the particulars that share their properties.
which are different from the images of Thus the poets are excluded from Plato’s
the things in the intervening space cities. What appears as representable
between the mirrors. Temporalization of intelligibles are the non-duals order and
the simultaneity of spatial affect-image right. What appears as non-representable
nodes collapses into a primal time. For intelligibles are good and fate. Plato sets
instance, the lost origin and the utopian up the concept of the Idea as a unity of
ideal future collapse into the mythos. presences of the same. Jung turns this on
The mythos is the fourth realm besides its head to give a theory of Archetypes
past, present, and future ecstasies. It is as the totality of the absences of the
the nowhere outside the causal horizon same. This begs the question as to the
of the lightcones in Minkowski nature of the totality of absences of the
spacetime. Past and Future collapse into different, or the unity of the presences of
the Preterite, or Complete tense in Old the different. Difference is suppressed.
English. The mythos appears as the Absence is suppressed. Fiction is
Orlog. Mythos and Preterite are two suppressed. Illusion is suppressed. Only
forms of absence that is contrast with the the positive aspects other than reality are
present. Between the present and the supported in the Metaphysics of
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
give us two mirror like reflections within reconnects to the outer octahedral
our total awareness. These two mirrors dialectic. This figure is called the kosmic
when connected to the two mirrors of the atom in theosophical circles. This is
Other give us a fully reflexive space what we know as the conjunction of the
with just two people. This is why the Kosmos and the Monad schemas. In
Mysterium Conjunctus is the alchemical other words the time flow in the
model of the reflexive realm. We don’t tetrahedral configuration is in the
need four actors because each human opposite direction as that in the
being has two compounded mirrors octahedral configuration that surrounds
within themselves. But we can still it. Together they form a single time loop.
climb to the next level where there are This is like a pair of mobius strips or a
three actors in a space of three inwardly kleinian bottle. That relates it to the
facing mirrors because the couple of the pentahedron (also pentachora) that
Mysterium Conjunctus has a child. Now appears in four-dimensional space. The
the interesting figure of the ambiguity between local and global
Oedipus/Electra complexes are characteristics applies mentioned in the
produced. But as Deleuze and Guattari first part of this paper. This ambiguity is
show in Anti-Oedipus these complexes exactly the kind of state that appears at
are degenerative states. This is a kind of the level of Hyper Being where
reductionism to a single mythos when in indecision rules. So the appearance of
fact there are many different mythic the dialectic with its ultra-efficacy
frames that the child can be placed in (efficiency/effectivity) of the octahedral
within the multifarious family situations structure is accompanied by the
that arise. What is interesting when we appearance of differance (differ/defer).
look at the conjunctions of self- The space within the ultra-efficacious
recognitions is that the geometrical octahedra holds the Differance of Hyper
figure that is created between the three Being. As we move up to the next level
actors within an enclosure of three we are in a space where there are four
mirrors is an octahedron. The octahedron agents within an inwardly mirrored
is between three mirrors that form an tetrahedral space. The inner space is
extended space and so the octrahedra can cubic and as we have said related to the
be stacked and they can represent a Greimas cube which in turn embodies
dialectical structure that unfolds in time. the chiasmic reversibility of Wild Being
That dialectical structure can be seen to in the form of the difference between
have a core of a helix of tetrahedral. So non-anti-X or Y and anti-non-X or Y.
the tetrahedral of the two mirror / two The two complementarities form a book
agent model is encapsulated by an other and an anti-Book where in one the anti is
dialectical unfolding of a stack of privileged and in the other the non is
octahedral. Octahedra are figures that do privileged. At each level the special
not block and so there is an ultra- system produces an inner space in which
efficiency produced at this level as the the various kinds of Being can be
dialectic of unfolding Spirit (Geist) expressed. This breaks down into either
appears. The three strands of the the mirror house with its warped mirrors
dialectic infolds at the end of the set of of the fun house if we turn to paradox.
octrahedra and travels back down the Or it breaks down into the supra-rational
core of the tetrahedral helixes and then state of the higher dimensional
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
outline of the forms as shapes, as seen in Time by itself, i.e. primal time, without
the prehistoric cave paintings of France. the complementary spatial metaphors is
Forms are three dimensional with shape unthinkable and thus existential. Spatial
and behavioral components. These are metaphors allow time to be linearized
related to each other through the system and that allows the symmetry breakings
which can be seen as static or dynamic to occur that give the separate ecstasies
with a fourth dimension of time. The of timespace (past, present, future,
system can be seen as at a minimum the nowhere=mythos). Timespace is the dual
static relations between forms in space. of Spacetime which is three dimensions
But when we add the fourth dimension of space plus linear time. These two
we see the forms behaviors within the complementary duals together make up
dynamic relations of the dynamical the Matrix. Schemas at a level deeper
system. The schemas are nested and than the difference between dream and
express the relation of system to meta- consciousness. They are embedded in
system between each adjacent level. the Matrix as its fundamental structure
prior to the transformation of time into
Schemas appear as a non-dual in the space and space into time.
inter-transformation of time into space Dimensionality and Epocality are duals.
and space into time. The Pascal triangle Epochality refers to emergent events.
gives us the simplest polytope in each Each emergent event creates an epoch or
dimension. The dimension is specified era, like the transformation from the
by its simplest regular object. Primal mythopoietic to the metaphysical.
Time is the simultaneity of the schemas Emergent events can occur at a whole
in space. These are conjuncted temporal series of levels, i.e. fact, theory,
streams. The undercurrent of these paradigm, episteme, ontos, existence.
streams in primal time run backward as Schemas and Emergent events are duals.
Ingvar Johannson says in Ontological Schemas are ontological emergent levels
Investigations as seen in short term which allow simultaneous spatiality.
memory. These backward running Emergent events are discontinuities in
streams of primal time produce the time that allow completely new
Orlog, the layering of temporal traces. configurations of characteristics to
When we transition to consciousness and appear. The other hierarchy is the ontic
the primal time goes through symmetry hierarchy of the physus. This hierarchy
breaking then we get the appearance of which is discovered by science is
time running forward like a narrative as triangulated between the emergent
seen from the perspective of long term hierarchy of the social and the
memory. Primal time as ontological hierarchy of the schemas.
multidimensional simultaneous negative The ontic hierarchy is what cannot be
dimensional spatiality becomes the static reduced by science. It is composed of
space of positive dimensions within levels like string, quark, particle, atom,
which schemas encapsulate content as molecule, macromolecule, cell, organ,
the intentional morphe is projected on organism, social group and gaia. The
the hyle, or qualia of consciousness. But schema hierarchy is controlled by
also the negative space of dream skepticism. They are the schematic of
becomes time differentiated ecstasies of things that stand up to skepticism. If you
time. We see time which is equivalent to deny patterns, forms and systems then
existence through metaphors of space.
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
you cannot see anything at all. Emergent discontinuity into the world. From the
levels of social or individual information continuity of the world we need to step
or knowledge are what arises from the down through the kinds of Being to the
background noise of nihilism. Logos and level of existence where radical
Nomos are the basis for discovering the discontinuity resides. When radical
nature of Physus in the Metaphysical discontinuities occur we see the
era. Emergent events are structured by infrastructural layers of the world as
the kinds of Being. Each genuine kinds of Being. But it is the aspects of
emergent event must pass through all Being that remain the same and that
four kinds of Being. This makes us supports the structure of the schemas.
suspect that the schemas are organized
by the aspects of Being. Schemas allow Conclusion
things to come to presence from
absence. They allow things to have their In this paper we have attempted to
identity. By the schemas we name things consider two possible foundations for
and describe them in language. Through reflexive sociology, one in mathematics
the schemas we distinguish reality from and the other in ontology. Then we went
illusion via testing regimes. So between on to consider the place of General
the schemas and the emergent events we Schemas Theory in this context. This is
have both of the major characteristics of an exploratory work that tries to show
Being embodied. We apply these that reflexive sociology has a natural
schemas to the various ontic emergent basis in a kind of systems theory that
levels discovered in the physus by explicates special systems in relation to
science. Between physus and logos is the the difference between systems and
nomos of order. Schemas are containers meta-systems. But that there is also
for ordering of things in space. So another view that looks at the
schemas give us a handle on things that interleaving of the kinds of Being that
allow us to order them. Transformations differentiates the special systems.
at a particular schematic level are Schemas theory appears as the dual of
emergent events. If one form turns into the emergent event, and as a non-dual
another form that is an emergent event. between space and time providing a
One system turns into another system is framework for the differentiation of both
an emergent event. What changes is the spacetime and timespace. We call this
ordering of the content of the schemas, fundamental structure that mediates
but the schemas themselves remain the between these two four dimensional
same as a substrate to this ways of looking at space and time
transformation. There can also be types together the Matrix. We find that this
of change that render one schema into matrix is produced by Pascal’s triangle
another schema at a different level but appearing in both negative and positive
these are synthetic or analytic versions, which underlies the structuring
transformations. Emergent differentiated articulations of
transformations occur at the same level dimensionality and temporality. This
of schema. Daphne turns into a tree. matrix structure underlies general
Each of these are a form or a system or a schemas theory which is projected by
meta-system depending on ones point of Being onto things but encodes in itself
view. Emergent events introduce radical also the conjunctive structure of
existence which gives some hint of the
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
reverse the relation between the two concepts/percepts to those that define the
ends of the spectrum. Essences puts metaphysics of presence (Sein), or that
unity in the place of totality and of absence (Seyn). What is crazy is that
noematic nuclei put totality in the place Deleuze uses the term Idea for the anti-
of unity. Here we see how Jung’s archetype in Difference and Repetition.
archetypes are merely a reversal of This leads to no end of confusion. He
Platonic Metaphysics that points at the says that Ideas as problematics are fields
sources rather than the origins. of multiplicity and heterogeneity to
Phenomenology that concentrates on which answers are point solutions. These
essences and noematic nucli and bracket solutions must be the anti-noematic
the ideas and archetypes is another sort nucleus which might be called the noetic
of reversal. But this begs the question of nucleus (percept). The anti-essence is
what happens when we replace the same also a percept and he defines that by way
thing with something different. In this of the idea of virtuality of the differences
case we enter the realm of the between the faculties. The anti-idea is a
philosophy of difference which was percept and can be thought of the
inaugurated by Heidegger, carried on by repetition as opposed to the
Derrida and carried further by Deleuze representation. So Deleuze attempts this
in Difference and Repetition. One way great reversal of logocentism and the
into this arena is to ask what happens archetypal realm at the same time by
when we substitute the different for the substituting the aspect of difference for
same in each of these formulas which the same. Nathan Widder in The
have the form the unity/totality of Geneology of Difference attempts to
presence/ absence of the same/different. show how this view can be applied to the
By this we enter the dream realm, which history of philosophy with some success.
is after all at the root of waking Jeffrey A. Bell in The Problem of
consciousness, dream underlies trance Difference: Phenomenology and
that underlies the subjective/objective Poststructuralism also attempts to show
discriminating intentional consciousness. how this philosophy of difference was
Here we see anti-ideas that are percepts, generated out of the Phenomenology of
we see anti-essences that are percepts, Husserl and its interpretation by
we see anti-noematic nuclei that are Merleau-Ponty. However, if we do not
noetic, we see anti-archetypes that are understand the structure of the field of
conceptual. In other words there is a the aspects of Being it is difficult to get a
shadow world that dogs the meta- grip on the reversals that Deleuze is
physical world of identity, which is a making to the field to produce the
world of difference. The problem of the philosophy of difference, and how it
philosophy of difference is that it has not does not leave metaphysics behind.
freed itself of the terminology of These are similar to the kinds of radical
identity. But it is difficult to invent a reversals of Plato that Nietzsche
way to describe difference that does not attempts when he substitutes Reality for
ascribe to the concept of identity, as Truth as the basis of metaphysical
Deleuze heroically tries to do. However, thought. These reversals of metaphysics,
if we realize that this shadow realm is such as Heidegger’s emphasis on
the complement of the other realm then Absence rather than Presence still leave
we can use the complementary us within metaphysics because it only
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
changes the relations of the aspects of the individual and the levels of emergent
Being to each other. They all continue to knowledge change in society. Between
operate within the realm of the aspects the emergent social/individual hierarchy
and kinds of Being. But schemas as and the ontological hierarchy of the
projections of pattern, form, system, etc schemas the ontic hierarchy of the
reside within Being as a priori or physus appears within the history of
persistent or always already structured scientific discovery. The ontic hierarchy
aspects of space and time. They allows us to see the non-reducible levels
differentiate things in space such that of closure that are socially invented and
they can be simultaneous in time. They constructed in our interaction with the
allow the transformation of space into designated as real material world. But
time and time into space as we move ultimately all these levels are
from the dream realm to trance to constructed out of magma which
subject/object differentiating intentional according to Lawson becomes reified as
consciousness. Schemas are the dual of different kinds of closure of the
the emergent events that appear though openness of the clearing of Being.
the transformation of the content of one Closure results in material and texture.
schema into the content of another Material is a certain type of reification
schema at the same level of the were noesis and noema are set for a
ontological hierarchy. Emergent events time, tentatively until they are reset by
move through each of the meta-levels of some emergent event that reaches deep
Being. Through emergent events we enough to touch the essential openness
access primal time that is non- again. The texture is the certain kind of
differentiated. Access of primal time, openness that remains in spite of a
sometimes called FLOW, re-enlivens our tentative closure. Material and Texture
lives and makes the world new again. It have emergent properties specific to
breaks all the reifications and melts our their form of reification. But under the
alienation, dismantles our anomie. influence of an emergent event other
Understanding the full panoply of the properties might become emphasized
transformations of metaphysics allows while still others might become de-
us to understand the philosophy of emphasized. The schemas are the a
difference and how it fits into Platonism, priori containers that reification occurs
Nietzsche’ views and Jung’s views that around as a differentiation of spacetime
transform Platonism in various ways. or timespace of the matrix. Schemas are
The schemas are pivotal in all these social projections. Durkheim said that
transformations and become visible Kant’s categories were socially
through them as non-duals within the constructed. Here we say that so are his
magma of the chiasm at the center of the schemas. The social construction of the
Cube of fourfold reflexivity at the center schemas are itself social in the sense that
of the inwardly mirroring tetrahedron forms interact with forms, systems
that appears at the reflexive social level interact with systems, meta-systems
of the unfolding of the special systems interact with meta-systems, etc. In other
between system and meta-system. The words the basic containers of what can
ontological hierarchy of schemas is be social are set by the schemas. They
inherently social. They go together with are a differentiation of the realms of
the emergent hierarchy of information in possible social interaction. While on the
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Possible Grounds for a Reflexive Sociology -- Kent D. Palmer
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