being fully-human

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The way we know our world, is the way we co-create it over and again. This can be a vicious and degenerative circle. Or, this can be a virtuous, regenerative cycle.
 
The key to understanding the above graphic is relation. At the larger scale, it shows how theory guides practice and practice informs theory via cosmology, the beliefs and narratives we form at the paradigmatic level about the workings of the world. We could then describe the theory-cosmology-practice relation as inter-retro-acting, they are each distinguishable but inseparable terms that bleed into each other.
 
Likewise, when we zoom into either theory or practice, we see they are each constituted of inter-retro-acting relations of distinguishable but inseparable terms. Theory is expressed the interplay between ontology (Being, reality, as it is, as it presents itself) and epistemology (how we what we know about that reality). Practice is expressed via a similar interplay between technology (how we apply theory) and techniques (methods, instruments and tools are used to apply it).
 
The focus of our inquiry aspires to develop a mode of inquiry (epistemology) that we refer to as fully-human. One capable of knowing the universe-of-complexity (ontology) on its own terms; knowing ourselves as human living systems, fully-embedded in the entire complex living web of relations; and, knowing ourselves as an evolutionary composite of all that is/was in the universe-of-complexity.
 
The premise is that theory generated in this way, is the basis for developing a more comprehensive cosmology, one reflective of the universe-of-complexity, and our role particular as complex living systems able to reflect and participate in that complexity.
 
Fully-human inquiry is not meant to be an abstract process, but an embodied one. We are each of us universes-of-complexity aspiring to know ourselves. We are microcosms nested within other living systems: communities, societies, ecosystems, etc. Each, regardless of scale, constituted of equally complex relations.
 
A further premise is that knowledge of the universe-of-complexity, to the degree that is able to rapidly and frequently cycle through this complex of embodied, inter-retro-acting processes, is regenerated, comes to life, takes on the dimensions of complexity in living systems, gains a degree of aliveness.
 
The living knowledge regenerated in this way, via fully-human inquiry, is capable of regenerating a living reality that doesn’t diminish the universe-of-complexity, but takes its rightful place in evolving it.

concepts

en-cyclo-pedic knowledge

The aim of this research is not the amassing of knowledge, as in encyclopedic. Rather, it is as Morin indicates, en-cyclo-pedic, reaching back to the original meanings within the composite term–a cycling, moving, living, evolving knowledge.

As knowledge cycles through theory-practice relation, and within those cycles ontology-epistemology and technology-techniques a beautiful thing happens called Life.

At the edges of these highly regulated and regular cycles, there are discontinuities, ruptures, imbalances, disorder… change there is constant.

There’s a disruption to the regular cycle…

Differences emerge between theory-practice, between ontology-epistemology, technology-technique.

Gregory Bateson is well known for saying “it’s the difference that makes a difference.

This the basis for mutual co-learning in all living organisms in relation with their ever-changing ecosystems.

Emergence of the new, the difference engages the en-cyclo-pedic process in motion–it finds feet.

There’s forward movement towards greater complexity, wholeness, aliveness.

And, the emergence presents a new challenge for a system to know, to learn itself–a new self.

Over successive revolutions and emergences, upgraded stories about the workings of the world in the universe-of-complexity take a fuller, more inclusive shape.

These increasingly dimensionalized, evolving stories (cosmology), become the new threads that warp and weave the fabric of the evolving universe-of-complexity, as we know it, as we co-create it.

open-modeling the noosphere

Instead of burying my research results in linear, static documents or creating limited computational models, which are reductive representation of reality, all data, findings and works produced will be open-modeled via publicly-accessible wiki entries.

Like Wikipedia, which this research will integrate across, it is essentially a living, dynamic “model” of the noosphere, the world of ideas.

It is alive, because it can keep changing and evolving over time.

A knowledge commons is an open-source, warm, dynamic, alive wiki-based resource co-produced, co-governed and shared/co-utilized to varying degrees by all participating.

Deploying Wikimedia technology a generative knowledge commons–an ecosystem inhabited by thinkers, works, insights–self-organizing by various significant patterns.

A by-product of the research will include integrating and improving existing Wikipedia entries of thinkers, works, concepts.

A separate wiki instance will be developed for presenting research, including journal articles and papers and a non-linear dissertation.

It will contain profiles on schools of thought,thinkers, works, key insights, and concepts.

The following framework ordered by levels of generativity will be applied:

levels of generativity
1. insights (ideas, concepts)
2. thinkers (people that generate insights)
3. social collectives (provide the context–localized in place-time–for thinkers) [communities-of-place]
4. transversal collectives (disciplines, movements, schools) [communities-of-practice]
5. fusion (merging of disciplines: multi, inter, trans)
6. semantic maps & systems

The research will likely result in creating a new wiki type: “WikiMeta” for transcontextual, relational, semantic mapping of meta-concepts, constellations of distinct, but inseparable concepts. Some similar examples include: The Brain, Visual Thesaurus, Research Rabbit.

planned publications

regenerative knowledges

A regenerative Theory of Complex Knowledges: An exploration into Morin’s method in Method

foreground various inquiry techniques relevant to the study of generalized complexity (i.e. circumscription)

Dr. Jose Gustavo Casas, Director of Multiversidad (MREM)

regenerative development aims

Regenerative Development Aims: A study in the practical application of wholeness-aliveness

develop theoretical argument behind need and potential for a comprehensive rewrite of SDGs (completed), from the perspective of what it means to be fully-human in a universe-of-complexity

Dr. Gil Penha-Lopes; Dr. Thomas Henfrey; Anna Kovasna

regenerative knowledges

The Self-Organizing Bioregion: Complex organization of transformative ecosystems in practice

describe the theoretical underpinnings for applied organization of knowledge in relational mapping change-makers within transformative ecosystems with a wiki-based technology

Dr. Gil Penha-Lopes; Dr. Markus Molz; Dr. Thomas Henfrey

economies of scale-linking

Economies os Scale-Linking: A regenerative commoning framework for living economies

circumscribe a framework that enables multiple economic realities at varying scales, each with divergent value sets, to inter-retro-act on each other to produce greater degrees of aliveness-wholeness

Dr. Markus Molz;  Dr. Thomas Henfrey