Dear All
In putting forward my position in the seminar's subject of evaluation,
there is a quote that I should have brought here in the beginning of the
seminar, in May. I forgot and bring it now.
My work has been aspired by Laing's work and writings that I see as a most
influencing author and figure in my work and approach. I am sure this is
evident from reading my work.
In page 102 of the “The Politics of Experience’, Laing (1967) writes ‘So
many people feel they have to translate ‘subjective’ events
into ‘objective’ terms in order to be scientific. To be genuinely
scientific means having knowledge of a chosen domain of reality”.
I agree with this notion of chosen domain of reality. I think we all
choose our reality domain in our research and its conveyance and/or, for
that matter life and ontololgy, in accordance with our self-constructing
intentions, history and personal experiences. In this sense I am a
moderate post-modernist.
For example:
My chosen domain of reality, here and presently, that I have chosen for
myself is an illustration of a heuristics of human existence that draws on
my own assessment of my own ontology and communicates it to my peers as my
proposed manner to conceive, study and analyse human existence and the
phenomenon of being a person.
I construct, evaluate and pursue with my research in accordance with my
accummulating knowledge of my chosen domain of reality. This is reality
for me. I draw on my subjective experiences and events, communicate and
follow them in a manner that I construct and perceive as systematic and
communicative. They are systematic in the sense that they are consistent
and aim at being clear to myself and others.
Now why would I need, the scientific, objective, jargon or to constanly
think of the assessment and evaluation standards that are commonly taken
to be of acceptable standards to a community? Is it complexity? Is it
history? Is it insecurity?
Research is communicating our personal, constructed and emerging knowledge
of our chosen domain of reality in a manner that we take to be of
contribution and systematic order.
I communicate and evaluate my knowledge of my chosen domain of reality in
a rationalised, consistent and communicative manner. Could you tell me
that this is not my reality, going back to Laing's work? Could I tell you
that your reality is not your reality?
And another Laing - The Bird Of Paradise
'The truth I am trying to grasp is the grasp that is trying to grasp it.'
'The Life I am trying to grasp is the me that is trying to grasp it.'
This is my truth, my reality, my life that I am grasping, evaluating and
communicating as a heuristics of human existence and a manner to
critically engage with a person's being-in-the-world.
Good weekend
Alon
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