Fourteen Principles of Diverse Thinking

By Cage Innoye

Photo: Fourteen Principles of Diverse Thinking

We live in a “Diverse” and not a “Universe”.

A “Diverse” is a cosmos filled with difference and variety which is in constant change and evolution. Galaxies, solar systems, living things, human cultures, individuals, multiple perception and our complex brains are all expressions of this grand diversity.

A “Universe” is a phenomenon that is united by similarity and commonality; in a Universe all is the same and thus subject to strict control. For some time we have believed in a Universe, and this misperception has led to an aversion toward diversity, individuality and creativity, and to the formation of authoritarian systems of thought, social organization and global relationships.

It should be clear at the beginning of the 21st century that the world, nations, human beings and the entire cosmos is not a Universe at all, in fact, this has been the philosophical problem to begin with. When we grasp that reality is dominated by difference and change, then we can greatly reduce the suffering in our lives. Here are some themes of a Diverse:

Differentiation and Individuality

A very important concept about the Diverse is “differentiation” which means the generation of difference. Difference in the Diverse would include, for example, individuality. Change, the new and evolution are types of difference that take place over time. Complexity is the expression of differences within a whole or system. A general list of types of differentiation might include: detail, parts, individuality, change, complexity, particularity, conflict, duality, the new, evolution, chaos, splitting, the creative, inner and outer, variety, range, simultaneity, non-hierarchy, the indeterminate, the vague, the inefficient, the wandering, the unstable, the flexible, the non-uniform, the independent and so much more.

For human beings diversity, individuality and creativity are highly important themes of differentiation.

Undifferentiation and Wholes

Opposed to differentiation is “undifferentiation” which means the limitation of difference or opposition to difference. Undifferentiation is the opposite of differentiation. For each force of differentiation there is a force of undifferentiation, for example, opposed to change is the not changing or static, opposed to the new is the old, opposed to individuality is sociality, opposed to free action are social rules and obligations, opposed to the creative is the repetition of past models, and so on. Undifferentiation takes many forms from similarity to imitation, stasis, unity, organization, hierarchy, deductive thought etc. Undifferentiation is essential otherwise we would not have organisms, organization or logical thought or theoretical systems or education or community institutions or government or economies or any unifying structures.

Differentiation is a primary force but undifferentiation is necessary also, the trick for human beings is to find the right mix of the two for each problem to solve.

An essential feature of undifferentiation is the coordinating of diverse wholes. Once we have generated diversity, individuality and creativity, we must unite the many parts or people into a whole. Otherwise we will create cultures of alienation, egotism, conflict, chaos and exploitation.

Multiple Perception and Multiple Everything

Multiple perception is another highly important concept in Diverse thought. There are different points of view per individual in society. Within a single complex human mind are also competing perceptions and behaviors. There are different cultural perspectives in a society and different perspectives of entire epochs. There is no singular or general point of view for human beings. Further, there are multiple goals, multiple strategies, multiple behaviors, multiple analyses of causes, multi-culturalism, the multi-centered etc.

The idea of multiple perception goes so far as to hold that there can be no singular view on the Diverse. The human view on the whole Diverse yields many, many perspectives. Even when we try to lay out the general principle of our Diverse, we will have disagreements because the Diverse is so big and manifold that it allows many interpretations. Thus, humans find some vague and general points of unity, and develop their particular schools of thought and conduct research and argumentation endlessly.

Many Minds, Many Emotions

In the diverse mind of a human being are many things. When we refuse to accept and learn about and manage our manifold brains, then we suffer from many things. There are many minds for us to coordinate: the logical, imaginative, emotional, subconscious, mind of doing and the mind of wisdom. Further, we must learn to manage our world of many emotions, learn their natures and laws.

Golden Rule

Multiple perception and individuality lead to an interesting problem. The Diverse promotes individuality because it loves multiplicity and difference. However each person may become self absorbed and not appreciate multiple perceptions and needs in society, that is, the views and needs of others. Thus, ethics arises. The Diverse Golden Rule arises, to treat others as you would have them treat you, and to try to understand their views, and break from your narrow singular perception into a multiple perception of all society, all humanity. We must understand in a social Diverse, the part (the person) carries within it the perception of the whole (society and other humans). A person thus has a dual mindset of self and others. The Diverse makes the personal primary but demands that this not be absolute or extreme. So in the beginning, the multiple perception of the Diverse produces many different individual views, in a later stage the individual views must leap out of themselves into multiple perception.

This whole multiple perception problem leads to a discussion of individuality and sociality. They are not in contradiction to each other, they aid each other.

And when finally we grasp that one cannot represent the whole, but at the same time one must represent the whole, then we will understand the essence of Diverse ethics.

Diverse Love

Lakape is diversity applied to love, the love of the different. This is the Diverse contribution to the list of forms of love. The Diverse mind loves difference and thus loves the Diverse. The anti-diverse do not like difference and do not love the different and hate the Diverse.

Creativity

Evolution can be said to be creative, Genio is the idea of creativity. Differentiation by definition generates creativity, otherwise individuality, evolution and so on could not occur. Creativity and diversity are twin ideas coming from the same parent.

Genio is a primary force in the cosmos and in humans. Genio gives us all Genius.

The sphere mind is the expression of our Genio power of imagination and creativity. Our thread mind is the logical, rational mind that represents the side of us that requires undifferentiation: reason, systemization, use of models, education methods etc. The sphere mind and the thread mind work together to produce creative projects. The sphere mind initiates and the thread mind finishes.

Self Creativity

Perhaps, the most important form of Genio is Self Genio, the re-creation of ourselves!

Self Identity

Achievement of self identity is a creative process that harmonizes a vast array of personality elements into a singular definition of yourself. This is a primary task of a human life. The two fundamental features of the cosmos, Genio and diversity, drive personality development.

The Self Conscious Diverse

What primary relation do human beings have to the Diverse? We are the Self Conscious Diverse, we are the self aware Diverse. The natural Diverse or the cosmos is not self aware, it does not have consciousness, its behavior is in a more profound category beyond our understanding.

Further, we must strive to be like the Diverse, we have a tendency to make the Diverse like us, giving it human qualities while it, in fact, is something completely transcendent. But by observing the Diverse we can understand and manage ourselves.

Directness and the Empiric

Directness and the Empiric are fundamental ways that we live in complex Diverse. To get to know a variety of things we must directly experience them. More, directness is absolutely necessary for control and freedom. One must avoid middle men and saviors and “leaders” who will mediate your connections and knowledge, and then control you.

An "empiric" is one who stresses direct experience, one who engages in the empirical realm of life. The empiric is a scientist of life, one who studies it, goes into it, practices it, experiments with it, gathers emotional and perceptual data, and draws conclusions, arriving at ideas about life.

Communication

Diverse thought applied to communication and media gets right to the heart of the matter about diversity. Communication is the primary way that the Human Diverse connects and relates. When basic communication is hindered, then diversity is hindered and then suffering results. De-communication warps our Social Diverse; communication opens it up and lets it flourish. Communication brings learning, assimilation, persuasion; de-communication, in the end, brings force, the force of one social group against another, one anti-social individual against another.

Time

This may be one of the most difficult things to grasp about the Diverse. The Diverse breaks up time into parts. It throws at us an infinite succession of moments giving us the problem of managing the new moment and also staying connected to what is continuous through all moments, the continuities that ground us. We must reunite time to keep ourselves whole and sane.

Time also puts all things into evolution and then has different rates of evolution and stages of evolution for each thing or person. Everyone and everything is on a different track of evolution. The differences cause conflict and opportunities for abuse. We must bring all these differing evolutions into harmony.

Nature

The Diverse applied to Nature produces the concept of "Co-Genio", the parallel creative evolutions of Humanity and Nature, the harmony of Human and animal. The Human "Home" is a Diverse home that includes the Human-made world of our culture, but also our natural environment, this too is our Home.

Cage Innoye

Innoye is an American writer. For more discussion of Diverse thinking, his new book, “The Axxiad”, is now available from Amazon.com His blog address is diversephilosophy.blogspot.com