Beyond Method: engaging opposition in psycho-social organization

Abstract: Various manifestations of "disagreement-phobia" are reviewed to show the current importance of disagreement in a society narrowly focused on superficial agreement-promoting processes. Arguments of Paul Feyerabend relating to the suppression of disagreement in science are examined, together with his views on the significance of incommensurability for development. The absence of adequate approaches to the art of disagreement is noted and it is argued that the present level of disagreement in society is not yet great enough to sustain more than an undifferentiated, mass-conscious version of the desired level of agreement. An ordered series of 210 mutually-incompatible, transformation-oriented statements is generated on the basis of a variety of existing multi-set integrated concept schemes. This is intended as an initial stop towards a guide to more realistic psycho-social organization.

Disagreement-phobia

[Presentation | Disagreement |
Underlying relationship | Completeness |
Number uniqueness | Number pattern | Transformation operator | Self-constraint | Containment of unpredictable | Inter-set consistency | Operational relevance | Inter-set harmony |
Non-definitive]

Cutting Up an Ox

Prince Wen Hui's cook
Was cutting up an ox.
Out went a hand,
Down went a shoulder,
He planted a foot,
He pressed with a knee.
The ox fell apart
With a whisper.
The bright cleaver murmured
Like a gentle wind.
Rhythm! Timing!
Like a sacred dance.
Like "The Mulberry Grove,"
Like ancient harmonies!

"Good work ! " the Prince exclaimed,
"Your method is "faultless ! "
"Method ? " said the cook
Laying aside his cleaver.
"What I follow is Tao
Beyond all methods ! "

The Way of Chuang Tzu.
Translated by Thomas Merton. 1970