Monad of Reasoning

2015-02-15

As I was once again pondering the question, “What is Reason and Reasoning?” I found myself mentally constructing a monad. A monad, for those who haven’t studied Systematics is one of several methods for examining objects, processes, relationships, or any other type of complex system. The “methods” of monad, dyad, triad, tetrad, pentad, and so on, refer to the number of independent terms that are used (allowed) for that particular system. So in constructing a monad only one type of “term” or element is allowed.

One of the disciplines of the monad is to refuse to give any element more significance than any other element. Consequently, all elements have equal standing, hence the unordered appearance of the monad as shown below. The individual elements might be regarded as being holographic representations of the whole with the entire monad demonstrating “unity in diversity”.

Quoting from J. G. Bennett’s “The Dramatic Universe”…

The monad is an undifferentiated diversity. We meet this state of affairs whenever we turn our attention to a new situation, large or small. The monadic character of the universe as a totality, is present in all its parts. Every such part appears in its immediacy as an undifferentiated totality of which we know nothing except that it is what it is. But, side by side with this bare knowledge, we are led on, by the conviction that it is a structure, to hope to understand it by examining its content more closely. This combination of confused immediacy and the expectation of finding an organized structure gives the monad a progressive character. It is what it is, but it holds promise of being more than it appears to be.

This starting point is very important for the development of understanding. We shall call it the act of identifying the monad. The act requires both cognition and judgment, that is Fact and Value, and so takes us into the Domain of Harmony. We do not yet know anything clearly, but we can select a particular region out of the totality to be our field of study, understanding and action. If the region is primarily composed of mental images associated with words, we call it a 'universe of discourse'. If it is a class of objects, we call it a 'population'. If it is a complex of energies, we call it a 'field'. If it is a situation requiring action, we call it a 'problem'. Common to all of these descriptive names is the property of challenging our capacity for understanding."

More information on the monad and Systematics in general can be found on the Systematics.org website.

Back to the monad of Reason and Reasoning… The terms shown below represent a first approximation in response to pondering the question “What is Reasoning?” As such, it’s not so much an answer as a jumping off point.  In fact it probably raises more questions than it answers. But as Bennett indicated, it holds the promise of greater understanding if we persevere. To ponder the monad is an important and quite significant form of Reasoning, with its own methods and disciplines as alluded to above.