Reflections on Truth, Systems and Reality.

[kenoli Oleari]

J. Paul --

I am tempted to spend the next hour thinking about this and
responding, it is such a rich posting, and I have to get on to some
other things.   But, I can't resist a quick response.

I sense that we have been using the word "truth" in different ways in
these discussions, and I think the critical distinction here is
related to your statement:

"reality dictates to me, I do not dictate to reality".

It seems that in one usage, we ask ourselves to tell the "truth"
about our own experience.  I know this can seem like relativistic or
subjective truth, but, at the same time, among the important
"objective" things going on in a room is the place that each of us is
coming from.  When we are trying to form a group, or a group reality,
or a group experience, this is critical information. In addition, I
think it is critical because there is something functionally
important about each of us showing up and telling our truth if we are
to strive for that sense of oneness (that cosmic and simple
"spiritual") experience that we each seem to identify in different
words, but which yet seems critical to the core experience in group
that drives us towards understanding and implementing it more
effectively.

And there is the more "objective" or external "truth" we seem to want
to understand and reflect.  The "truth" we think is reflected in our
systems or mental frameworks, like OST, Future Search, or spiral
Dynamics.  The truths we believe drive communities, organizations,
teams.  Things like "buy-in", empowerment, ownership, productivity.

And then there are personal "truths".  Why do we even do this?  What
are my motives?  What do I care most about in sitting here writing
this email.

And the "truth" that there is something very basic to our humanness
connected with doing this.

In truth,

Kenoli

>Discussion on Truth, OSE's, Godel, Reality Models
>
>What is "Truth" depends largely on one's model of reality, I think.  One's
>model of reality is generally built on the cultural frame one is raised in as
>well as one's personal experiences of what works and what doesn't work, or
>work well enough.  If this is 'true', then 'truth' is contextual, both as
>to time and geography (space).  (One need only remember Galileo having to
>recant his hypothesis that the earth revolved around the sun in order to save
>his life to see how powerful organizational 'truth' can be in its 'current
>reality'.)
>
>Further, I think that reality dictates to me, I do not dictate to reality.
>Our task, therefore, is to discover what works, in reality (more on this in a
>moment).
>
>Godel's Theorem states that "For any system of integer arithmetic, a
>proposition can be put that can be neither proved or disproved within the
>system."  Godel's Theorem is based on paradox, which is a statement that
>makes a statement about itself.  It is itself, it's own 'box'.  By Godelian
>reasoning, therefore, every model of reality is necessarily inconsistent or
>incomplete or both.  (I am indebted to an article by Prof. Robert Hall in the
>second quarter 2001 Target magazine of the Association for Manufacturing
>Excellence for provoking and aiding the discussion in this and part of the
>following paragraph.)
>
>And, since there is no way a human can comprehend the whole universe, we all
>live in a box bounded by our observation, learning and experience---which may
>become our truth.  The danger is, of course, if it becomes "The Truth".
>
>My perception of Open Space Technology, itself a model of reality, is that it
>is a system/process for helping people express themselves in a
>self-organizing way and 'think outside the box'---the box often being
>corporate or organizational rules, regulations, culture, 'the way we do
>things around here'---and every organized system has these, even OST.  Godel
>says we can't self-reference OST in evaluating OST as a system.  We have to
>begin to think from the outside in----a difficult prospect if we get caught
>up in truth.
>
>Further, according to discussions held here, there have been Open Space
>Events (OSE's) that were, in military parlance, "limited successes".  Maybe
>even failures.  In essence, they didn't work well enough to meet the needs of
>the situation---the reality in which they occurred.  This makes one very
>tentative in proclaiming a truth about any given system, even OST.
>
>However, there are some questions we might choose to ask ourselves that may
>enhance the chances of a "successful" event.  I say "may", because chaos is
>also part of our reality and we never can be sure we have it in a box.  We
>have already had several valuable contributions from people's experiences
>that speak to elements of these questions.
>
>1.  What are the minimum necessary preconditions and context needed to enable
>an OSE to "work"?
>
>2.  What might we define as an OSE that "works"?  (Is people going away
>feeling good about the event enough?  Or, is a successful OSE one that has
>needed outcomes as defined by the client system?)
>
>3.  Is a successful OSE, like truth, contextual?
>
>4.  Should a successful OSE, at a minimum, create meaning?  That is, make a
>difference in its own context?  Should these differences be observable,
>concrete, that on which action can be taken?  Or, is an inner change
>sufficient?  Is there a holy grail of an OSE?
>
>Interesting thread of discussion, thank you to all those who are contributing
>from their own reality which has their truths embedded in it. :)
>
>Sincerely,
>
>J. Paul Everett, Consultant
>World Class Performance
>JPESeeker at aol.com
>
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--
Kenoli Oleari, Horizons of Change, http://www.horizonsofchange.com
1801 Fairview Street, Berkeley, CA  94703   Voice Phone: 510-601-8217,
Fax: 510-595-8369, Email: kenoli at igc.org (or click on: mailto://kenoli@igc.org)

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