A Transdisciplinary Dialectical Approach to Earth Stewardship Science
Let me take you through my slides and the paper
In slide 2 I explain what the approach to Earth Stewardship Science is
It is a
transdisciplinary dialectical approach to doing earth stewardship science
where the different sciences, humanities, engineering, educational, epistemological and ontological approaches, technologies, the arts and clinical professions collaborate and dialogue
on improving the understanding of and qualitatively transforming the planet, improving its prosperity and the quality of life and living of its inhabitants and reversing the damage done to the planet by humankind and the threat to its sustainability.
And
co-constructing and providing practical and analytical explanations (explicative accounts, or theories) as for how to do so.
I am starting the paper by explaining why the dialectical logic and methodological and epistemological approach and grounding is superior to the traditional propositional logic for our transdisciplinary work on improving the prosperity of the planet and reversing the damage made to the planet and its ecology by human kind.
In slides 3 to 6
I describe the dialectical logic as working on the qualitative transformation of an argument, phenomenon and practice in the search of truth through heuristic enquiry that intends to solve a problem.
It consists of dialogue, including dialogue with oneself or reflection, continuous enquiring and co-enquiring into how to solve the problem in hand and improve the solution.
It is the logic of qualitative transformation and enrichment of the existing, pushing it forward.
It includes, uses and fuses contradictions (or the anti-thesis of the examined, theorised and intended phenomenon, or the not P of the P) in order to transform the thesis, or P, the intended and examined and theorized phenomenon.
In slides 7 to 11 I discuss the traditional propositional logic
The propositional logic is the logic of elimination:
Either Or
If Then
slide 8
It is made of constructing the most valid linguistic assertion, or proposition, for the explanation of the tested phenomenon and the problem that is being and sought to be solved.
The propositional theory is validated by demonstrating how the alternative linguistic assertions that could potentially solve the tested phenomenon are either false or not as true and suitable as the tested linguistic proposition that is more truthful or valid and thus valid.
If the alternative propositions cannot be invalidated then the tested proposition is invalid.
In slides 10 and 11 I give an example that shows that theorizing who Alon is cannot contain the two alternative, or contradictory, propositions that Alon is stupid and Alon is smart.
One has to be eliminated in order to be able to explain who is Alon.
Alon cannot be both stupid and smart. I can only be either stupid or smart.
It is the logic of Either Or
Either A is valid or B is valid
If A is valid then B is invalid
If B is valid then A is invalid
If I am smart then I am not stupid
If I am stupid then I am not smart.
In slides 12 to 14 I go back to show the dialectics in comparison with the propositional logic
Whereas the propositional logic is the logic of selecting a proposition for the explanation of a phenomenon and solving a problem over and instead of the other possible ones that are in turn discarded
, dialectics is the logic of fusing, using contradictions as well, and doing anything and everything for a qualitative transformation of something into something better.
Read slide 12
Reading slide 12
Dialectics is the logic of AND and a synthesis –
Creating something new and improved from and through fusing different things, that could be contradictory, and from doing the enquiry and research themselves
It is the logic of “And” and the creation of and transformation of the existing into an improved new thing A + B = C
I give the example of how the Alon is stupid and Alon is smart propositions are used and fused together to create the process of Alon working at getting smarter and is providing an explanation, or a theory, of how he does this and what it means and why it is important and a significant contribution to knowledge and a field of research enquiry. How Alon is learning from his stupidity that he analyses and works how to become smarter.
In slide 14 I say
Reading slide 14
During dialectical thinking there is an enquiry and dialogue during which one propositional idea, assertion and response pushes forward and transforms the one preceding it in the search for truth and a solution to a presented problem and enquiry
Different relevant propositional enquiries and responses and linguistic assertions that could be contradictory transform each other.
They are not eliminated, or turned against each other, debated and out-weighted.
But, rather,
Are attended to, enquired into, used, sought to be understood and analysed concretely and profoundly, fused and included in the analysis and accumulated knowledge and understanding and the construction and validation of the dialectical theory of how to transform and improve the examined phenomena
They can be contradictory.
In fact I myself actually use the tension between contradictory statements to push forward and speed up the transformation.
In slides 15 to 24 I introduce the dialectical approach to Earth Stewardship Science
The approach is made of individuals from all disciplines, backgrounds, expertise and skills meeting together and co-enquiring together into how to improve the prosperity of the planet and quality of life and living of its inhabitants and reverse the current damage done to the planet and its inhabitants by humankind.
We analytically enquire into the meanings and implications of ecological prosperity, wellbeing and good quality of life as the thesis that we desire, idealise and want to achieve.
We include an analytic enquiry into the meanings and implications of the undesired phenomenon of a damaged and destroyed world and ecology and malaise and poor quality of life as the undesired contradiction (anti-thesis) that we want to reverse, change and transform to our desired phenomenon and objective.
So we are fusing the two contradictory phenomena into the creation of a theory how to achieve the desired prosperity and good quality of life
We use the created tension between the undesired damage and the desired and intended prosperity to transform the latter intended and desired prosperity
We work out theories how to do this.
In slide 20 I emphasize the epistemological importance of formulating and posing questions and questions and answers as a way of opening up discussion and knowledge, epistemology, the theory of knowledge
So we work out together action plans as for how to reverse the anti-thesis to the thesis we co-reflect, co-enquire and dialogue together into this.
We construct a safe space and work on a power and domination free dialogue
We do not debate, trying to show and prove ourselves to be more right than others
Each discipline and participant brings its strength and input
We completely focus on the task of reversing and changing the anti-thesis to the thesis and transforming knowledge, practices and each other.
We look at the contradictions of the members and how they push forwards our common enquiry into improving the prosperity of the planet and reversing and changing the damage done to the planet
In slide 24 I emphasize and explain the epistemology of reflection that is dialectically transformed, complemented and enriched by dialogue with other people