Values as systems -- each a nexus of verbs?

Freedom, Democracy, Justice: Isolated Nouns or Interwoven Verbs? (Part #8)

The appropriation of "value" from an economic perspective, and the successful application to business, has not resolved the many difficulties associated with psychosocial values, notably those upheld as "pillars" of social organization -- such as democracy, freedom and justice. It is extraordinary that it is so readily and uncritically assumed that the intangibility of values can be satisfactorily defined in legalese -- in sets of principles, perhaps explicitly named as "pillars" upholding institutions and society (Coherent Value Frameworks: pillar-ization, polarization and polyhedral frames of reference, 2008).

The concept of "value" -- as in "family values", "democratic values" or "liberal values" -- remains fraught with ambiguity resisting any definition that could guarantee avoidance of controversy. There is no attempt to define these "universally" as with "human rights". "Peace" offers the most striking example -- inviting multiple interpretations in practice, as with its converse ("aggression"). Such differences in interpretation are evident in the fragmentation of "peace" initiatives -- exhibiting varying degrees of overt hostility to each other. Similar problems are evident in efforts to achieve consensus in arenas such as the World Social Forum -- in contrast with that achieved in the World Economic Forum.

Rather than a set of "pillars", with the constraining geometry that implies, it is potentially interesting to explore:

values as the nexus of a set of verbs
values as a nexus of axes of distinct orientations -- perhaps "axes of bias"
values as a configuration of windows -- onto "worldviews"
values as systems

These differently suggest that values could be fruitfully understood as being systemically defined by an interrelated set of verbs or distinct dynamics. This is intriguingly consistent with the extensive argument of R. Buckminster Fuller (Synergetics: explorations in the geometry of thinking, 1975). Generically understood, a minimum system of any kind is necessarily defined and sustainable only through the intersection of six circles -- interlocking to frame the simplest polyhedron, namely a tetrahedron. In his terms:

By tetrahedron, we mean the minimum thinkable set that would subdivide Universe and have interconnectedness where it comes back upon itself....The basic structural unit of physical Universe quantation tetrahedron has the fundamental prime number oneness.... The tetrahedron is is the first and simplest subdivision of Universe because it could not have an insideness and outsideness unless it had four vertices and six edges.... With three positive edges and three negative edges, the tetrahedron provides a vectorial quantum module in conceptual array in which the right helix corresponds to the proton set (with electron and anti-neutrino) and the left helix corresponds to the neutron set ( with positron and neutrino). The neutron group has has a fundamental leftness and the proton group has a fundamental rightness. They are not mirror images. In the tetrahedron, the two groups interact integrally. The tetrahedron is a form of energy package. (p. 333)

This language raises the question as to how the dynamics of values are to understood as embodied in such a framework. A possible clue is offered by the thinking on value of Edward de Bono (The Six Value Medals: the essential tool for success in the 21st Century, 2005). Whilst his use of the medal metaphor may be understood as yet another essentially static value symbol, as an integrative complex the six medals might together be fruitfully recognized as Fuller's six intersecting circles. De Bono may then be understood as implying an integrative value system, which he defines as follows:

Gold Medal: Gold is precious, and so are an organization's people. The gold medal asks, What matters to our people? How will this decision affect our people? Human values include pride, achievement, a sense of belonging, hope, trust, and growth.
Silver Medal: Silver impacts the organization. What matters to the organization? What are our goals as a company, and how will a prospective action help us or hinder us in pursuit of these goals?
Steel Medal: Steel must be as strong as possible. What are the implications for quality? How will the decision at hand impact the quality of what we do?
Glass Medal: Glass can take the shape of many functional, often beautiful and colourful objects. The glass medal covers change, innovation, simplicity, and creativity. What can we do to foster creativity and innovation in our organization? What changes in products, services, or internal processes could we try out?
Wood Medal: Wood spotlights ecology values in the broadest sense: nature, ambience, community, political climate, etc. Who or what outside the organization might be affected by this? Is there a positive or negative impact if we take this road?
Brass Medal: Brass looks like gold but is not. Brass medal values take into consideration appearances and perception, our image and reputation. How will this action be interpreted? What will people think?

As de Bono stresses in his various books, his metaphorical use of "hats", "shoes" and "medals" needs to be understood more generally -- as ways of thinking -- perhaps best summarized in his more recent argument (Six Frames For Thinking About Information, 2008). For these he uses geometrical metaphors:

Triangle frame: purpose
Circle frame: accuracy
Square frame: point of view

Heart frame: interest
Diamond frame: value
Slab frame: outcome

His articulation, as with Fuller's, distracts from the distinct thinking processes -- as verbs -- in order to provide forms through which the processes themselves are implied. More problematic however is the mode of cognition implied -- through which the requisite integration of the distinct modalities is ensured. This might then be understood as the elusive locus of integrative value. However it is de Bono's better known use of thinking "hats" (Six Thinking Hats, 1985) that recognizes the necessary complementarity between the modes.

It is the work of Arthur M. Young which stresses the need for a minimum of six observations to determine behaviour in the learning/action cycles of a controlled system (The Geometry of Meaning, 1976). These insights have been separately adapted (Typology of 12 complementary strategies essential to sustainable development, 1998; Characteristics of phases in 12-phase learning / action cycles, 1998). The distinctions he so fruitfully makes raise the question as to whether any argument for "verb" implies only a first differential (namely velocity), or a second (namely acceleration), or even movement of a higher order.

In the light of this argument, values such as justice, freedom and democracy could each be fruitfully understood as necessitating definition in terms of six interrelated modes of thinking -- as the nexus of six thinking cycles. Geometrically the elusive "locus" of value is then the common "virtual" centre of those circles. This is best understood as necessarily unoccupied by a geometric element such as a "point" -- labelled by a "noun" held to be descriptive of the value or principle.

Value-related arguments can be applied to the nature of the fundamental "currency" of human civilization (Primary Global Reserve Currency: the Con? Cognitive implications of a prefix for sustainable confidelity, 2011). Any reserve currency is then understood as the medium through which secondary currencies can be interchanged. It is therefore defined as the interlocking of such secondary currencies -- with that interweaving being appropriately understood as a "basket" of currencies. Again it should be stressed that such currencies are significantly understood in terms of flow metaphors.

*** dynamic confidelity -- 6 cycles

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Values as systems -- each a nexus of verbs?