We have spent centuries perfecting ways to classify and authenticate physical objects and forces. In order to classify a cow (or a human or a rose) we look for the features that both link it to other cows and also the features that distinguish it from other mammals so that we can recognise it uniquely.
We do the same with other physical phenomena such as wind or rain or earthquakes. If the air around you is moving it is some sort of a wind – now whether it’s a balmy breeze or hurricane depends on force and temperature etc but different as these two phenomena are, we can all easily define ‘wind.’
To do this we create a list of criteria (and if it’s a good list it develops and changes along with our developing and changing knowledge) and we use these criteria to help us to authenticate the creature or feature or force of nature. We seem to have developed a different way of categorizing our experiences as human beings in the world.
When it comes to our experiences of life, we tend to learn – in our family or society or both – a template of how we believe these experiences should go rather than how they actually go. These templates don’t appear by magic but are created by us as part of our social reality and in spite of their shortcomings they can be quite useful. The problems arise when we fail to see these templates as a means to understanding and see them as ends in themselves. When that happens we authenticate human experience only if it will fit into our societal template and this is so limiting that problems are inevitable.
Models for Modes
Rather than using rigid templates when categorizing human experience it might be more useful to define some basic criteria which may help to define and describe our experience of being alive. We could, for example, take attributes that we know are constructive and lend themselves to human well-being – e.g. love, trust, cooperation etc – and use these as the criteria for behaviour. If we did this it would allow for a diversity of human experience and action while still upholding healthy and constructive human standards. The use of well thought out criteria to evaluate anything – behaviour, animals, flowers, restaurants – allows for the co-existence of individuality and excellence.
In order to arrive at valid criteria, however, we need to re-examine the nature of human beings, starting with the most fundamental level – human nature.
Tomorrow – Human Nature – A Conceptual Framework – I
Related articles
- Judging the Authentic Life (catholicanalysis.blogspot.com)
