Changes

=====1.3.9.3.  The Formative Tension=====

=====1.3.9.3.  The Formative Tension=====

The incidental arena or the informal context is presently described in casual, derivative, and negative terms, simply as the "not yet formal", and so this admittedly unruly region is currently depicted in ways that suggest a purely unformed and a wholly formless chaos, which it is not. But increasing experience with the formalization process can help one to develop a better appreciation of the informal context, and in time one can argue for a more positive characterization of this realm as a truly "formative context".  The formal domain is where risks are contemplated, but the formative context is where risks are taken.

The incidental arena or the informal context is presently described in

casual, derivative, and negative terms, simply as the "not yet formal",

and so this admittedly unruly region is currently depicted in ways that

suggest a purely unformed and a wholly formless chaos, which it is not.

But increasing experience with the formalization process can help one

to develop a better appreciation of the informal context, and in time

one can argue for a more positive characterization of this realm as

a truly "formative context".  The formal domain is where risks are

contemplated, but the formative context is where risks are taken.

In this view, the informal context is more clearly seen as the off-stage

In this view, the informal context is more clearly seen as the off-stage staging ground where everything that appears on the formal scene is first assembled for a formal presentation.  In taking this view, one steps back a bit in one's imagination from the scene that presses on one's attention, gets a sense of its frame and its stage, and becomes accustomed to see what appears in ever dimmer lights, in effect, one is learning to reflect on the more obvious actions, to read their pretexts, and to detect the motives that end in them.

staging ground where everything that appears on the formal scene is first

assembled for a formal presentation.  In taking this view, one steps back

a bit in one's imagination from the scene that presses on one's attention,

gets a sense of its frame and its stage, and becomes accustomed to see what

appears in ever dimmer lights, in effect, one is learning to reflect on the

more obvious actions, to read their pretexts, and to detect the motives that

end in them.

It is fair to assume that an agent of inquiry possesses a faculty of inquiry

It is fair to assume that an agent of inquiry possesses a faculty of inquiry that is available for exercise in the informal context, that is, without the agent being required to formalize its properties prior to their initial use. If this faculty of inquiry is a unity, then it appears as a whole on both sides of the "glass", that is, on both sides of the imaginary line that one pretends to draw between a formal arena and its informal context.

that is available for exercise in the informal context, that is, without the

agent being required to formalize its properties prior to their initial use.

If this faculty of inquiry is a unity, then it appears as a whole on both

sides of the "glass", that is, on both sides of the imaginary line that

one pretends to draw between a formal arena and its informal context.

Recognizing the positive value of an informal context as

Recognizing the positive value of an informal context as an open forum or a formative space, it is possible to form the alignments of capacities that are indicated in Table 5.

an open forum or a formative space, it is possible to form

the alignments of capacities that are indicated in Table 5.

Table 5.  Alignments of Capacities

Table 5.  Alignments of Capacities

o-------------------o-----------------------------o

o-------------------o-----------------------------o

|    Afforded      |  Possessed  |  Exercised  |

|    Afforded      |  Possessed  |  Exercised  |

o-------------------o--------------o--------------o

o-------------------o--------------o--------------o

This arrangement of capacities, based on the distinction between

This arrangement of capacities, based on the distinction between possession and exercise that arises so naturally in this context, stems from a root that is old indeed.  In this connection, it is instructive to compare these alignments with those that we find in Aristotle's treatise ''On the Soul'', a germinal textbook of psychology that ventures to analyze the concept of the mind, psyche, or soul to the point of arriving at a definition. The alignments of capacites, analogous correspondences, and illustrative materials outlined by Aristotle are summarized in Table 6.

possession and exercise that arises so naturally in this context,

stems from a root that is old indeed.  In this connection, it is

instructive to compare these alignments with those that we find

in Aristotle's treatise 'On the Soul', a germinal textbook of

psychology that ventures to analyze the concept of the mind,

psyche, or soul to the point of arriving at a definition.

The alignments of capacites, analogous correspondences,

and illustrative materials outlined by Aristotle are

summarized in Table 6.

Table 6.  Alignments of Capacities in Aristotle

Table 6.  Alignments of Capacities in Aristotle

o-------------------o-----------------------------o

o-------------------o-----------------------------o

|      Ship?      |          Sailor?          |

|      Ship?      |          Sailor?          |

o-------------------o-----------------------------o

o-------------------o-----------------------------o

An attempt to synthesize the materials and the schemes that are given

An attempt to synthesize the materials and the schemes that are given in Tables 5 and 6 leads to the alignments of capacities that are shown in Table 7.  I do not pretend that the resulting alignments are perfect, since there is clearly some sort of twist taking place between the top and the bottom of this synthetic arrangement.  Perhaps this is due to the modifications of case, tense, and grammatical category that occur throughout the paradigm, or perhaps it has to do with the fact that the relations through the middle of the Table are more analogical than categorical.  For the moment I am content to leave all of these paradoxes intact, taking the pattern of tensions and torsions as a puzzle for future study.

in Tables 5 and 6 leads to the alignments of capacities that are shown

in Table 7.  I do not pretend that the resulting alignments are perfect,

since there is clearly some sort of twist taking place between the top

and the bottom of this synthetic arrangement.  Perhaps this is due to

the modifications of case, tense, and grammatical category that occur

throughout the paradigm, or perhaps it has to do with the fact that

the relations through the middle of the Table are more analogical

than categorical.  For the moment I am content to leave all of

these paradoxes intact, taking the pattern of tensions and

torsions as a puzzle for future study.

Table 7.  Synthesis of Alignments

Table 7.  Synthesis of Alignments

o-------------------o-----------------------------o

o-------------------o-----------------------------o

|      Matter      |            Form            |

|      Matter      |            Form            |

o-------------------o-----------------------------o

o-------------------o-----------------------------o

Due to the importance of Aristotle's account for every discussion that

Due to the importance of Aristotle's account for every discussion that follows it, not to mention for those that follow it without knowing it, and because the issues that it raises arise repeatedly throughout this project, I am going to cite an extended extract from the relevant text (Aristotle, ''Peri Psyche'', 2.1), breaking up the argument into a number of individual premisses, stages, and examples.

follows it, not to mention for those that follow it without knowing it,

and because the issues that it raises arise repeatedly throughout this

project, I am going to cite an extended extract from the relevant text

(Aristotle, 'Peri Psyche', 2.1), breaking up the argument into a number

of individual premisses, stages, and examples.

Aristotle wrote (W.S. Hett translation):

Aristotle wrote (W.S. Hett translation):

| a.  The theories of the soul (psyche)

| a.  The theories of the soul (psyche)

|    handed down by our predecessors have

|    handed down by our predecessors have