| Glossary Conceptual Model: a mental construct that approximates what the "real world" really is, consisting of both conscious and nonconscious components and cognitive and affective components The Principle of Bounded Rationality: "The capacity of the human mind for formulating and solving complex problems is very small compared with the size of the problems whose solution is required for objectively rational behavior in the real world - or even for a reasonable approximation to such objective rationality." (Herbert Simon) Epistemology: the analysis and consideration of how we know what we think we know Cartesian rationality: an epistemology based on the premise that if something is "self-evident" to any "reasonable" person, then it must be true; first articulated by Aristotle (thus also called Aristotelian rationality) and based on the ability to categorize all things/concepts; the only actual operational epistemology available to humankind since its beginning Naïve realist: a person who believes that his or her particular perception of "reality" is completely accurate (also known as a logical positivist) Homeostasis: the tendency of a system to remain static, to resist change Restrictive nonconscious: the function of the human brain that maintains homeostasis by protecting its existing conceptual models from change Creative nonconscious: the tendency of the human brain to develop new conceptual models more appropriate to changing circumstances; a counter-balance to the restrictive nonconscious, but, for most people, relatively inactive Concept attainment: according to Jerome Bruner, the acquisition of facts and ideas that are presented to a learner, such as helping a child to learn an alphabet Concept formation: according to Jerome Bruner, the discovery or creation of a new phenomenon or meaning, such as Copernicus' discovery that the Earth revolves around the sun, Darwin's discovery of evolution, Freud's discovery of the unconscious, Heisenberg's discovery of the Uncertainty Principle, Einstein's discovery of the relativity of time, Hawking's revelations about black holes, an infant's realization that she will feel amused by banging an object on the floor, a young man learning to ride a bicycle, or a business manager who creates a novel marketing program Information overload:a neurological condition that occurs when the human brain exceeds its capacity to process input Change: an alteration of events and circumstances so gradual that it is barely noticeable, allowing time for adaptation and not significantly challenging existing conceptual models Transition: sudden and discontinuous alteration of events and circumstances that present situations in which existing conceptual models are no longer adequate for responding appropriately Ordinary problem: a situation that can be solved with existing conceptual models Critical issue: a situation that can be resolved only with new conceptual models (see concept formation) Psychosocial forcefield: the particular environment of persons within and around which certain conceptual models are maintained and reinforced; analogous to Ruth Benedict's concept of a "supportive community" Basic assumption analysis: the process of rigorously determining the nonconscious and subarticulate assumptions that underlie and predetermine one's conclusions and behavior Conceptual mapping: an imposed process of visually recording the conversation, deliberations, and dialogue of (usually) a group of people in an attempt to articulate conceptual models and thereby to discover relevant disparities, discrepancies, missing information, and/or subarticulate affect Disciplined transduction: based on Jean Piaget's description of child-like thinking and reasoning, a deliberate process of relaxing (or suspending) logic in which the dialogue is mapped Semantic analysis: a process of carefully attending to the words and phrases used by an individual or group Emergent solution: an outcome that cannot be anticipated or predicted, because it results from the development of a new conceptual model Transrationality: an epistemological methodology applicable in situations of transition to identify environmental discontinuities and to discover emergent solutions that lead to the formation of new, more appropriate conceptual models; the first alternative epistemology in the history of humankind |
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| For those interested in perhaps gaining a fuller picture of the underlying framework of transrationality, an excerpt from Victor Gideon's Creation of Meaning may be viewed here. | ||
