C-86. HAS and the HASestablishments

Humanism, art and science as now embodied have establishment status. They are very much Stage 4 (App. XIX: structures => functions) behavioral entities. Humanism has its values. Art has its “fine art.” Science has its “scientific method.” They celebrate what is best among the particulars of human purpose, practice and accomplishment.

Which is all to the good. Except that they do not make the most of consequentiality. We have Humanism, Art and Science introduced separately as practices and products to the neglect of humanism, art and science as functional needs and interdependent capabilities in accord with the Nature of Things. Children are introduced to the separate glories of H, A & S but not to the potential of a HAS discipline that unites them as three interdependent courses of capability development …as matters of consequence for problem solving and our quality of life (0).

(This interdependence, we have seen [C-71], can only be as good as the balance among the three [XI]. Overemphasis on any one or two defeats the possibility of a more effective interdependence [C-80]. It becomes a matter of risk [C-50]. This problem is not limited to the interdependence of these three. Within science, construed in light of its Greek language “to know” root, there is an imbalance and limited interdependence between “research and development” and “development and research” – two kinds of knowing, the one emphasizing order found and the other emphasizing producing order, but both using consequentiality as a test of knowledge. [App. VI]. See C-93 for more on the two kinds of knowing and knowledge.)

So what we are looking for is not bridges to cross the gaps between these establishments. We want to unite them in the development and exercise of their respective minding capabilities. And to do that we must take down the walls – for it is not so much gaps that separate them. It is walls that impede their working together (0: S-P, IV). And to do this, we must bring these developmental paths together not in Stage 4 terms but start back with the Nature of Things and then go forward through all the stages of consequentiality.

This is an assignment for positive restructuring (C-83). This is where the three strands which would constitute the HAS discipline (App. VIII) can attain a productive interdependence (XI; C-83), a unity in more than name, a unity thatmight and should be fully realized as effective community behavior (App. XI).This is how we might change the course of human history for the better (App. XI, App. XII).

(c) 2013 R.F. Carter
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