Beyond Bergson: the ontology of togetherness

Bergson's views on communication can be deduced from his theory of selfhood, in which he identifies the human self as heterogeneous duration a complex process that can only be adequately understood from within, when we intuit our own inner life. Another person, accessing us from outside, inevitably distorts and misunderstands our nature because duration is incommunicable. Does Bergsonism assert the failure of communication in principle? No, if we develop Bergson's theory further and identify the process of communication as heterogeneous duration. As such, it is intuited from within by its participants who engage with each other in the process of dealing with the same object. They intuit the process of which they are part and thus intuit each other's involvement in it as well. To appreciate the importance of this implicit mutual communicative engagement we only need to imagine an empty airport with just one passenger or a deserted pleasure beach. Bergson does not have a theory of communication per se but his views on communication can be extracted from his ontology and epistemology. These views may account for some apparent failures of communication conflicts, loneliness, hostility and Bergson uses them to suggest a way out towards better and more harmonious intersubjective relations. Bergson claims that we misunderstand reality in general and each other in particular. Instead of trying to grasp human nature directly in intuition we analyse its being and create a distorted view of one another. If we were able to conceive the human self as it is, we would see it as duration and might be able to reach the state of an open society where people's love towards one another is ontologically backed up by their openness towards each other's being. However, the Bergsonian theory of duration and intuition, promising to resolve the difficulties of communication, reasserts these difficulties metaphysically. The idea of duration entails the impossibility of accessing it from outside, as the genuine view of it is only possible from within. This paper, instead of trying to salvage a model of communication where people strive to intuit each other's uniqueness, locates intuition in the very act of communication. Bergson himself finds intuition in artistic creation where the artist and spectators communicate by intuiting a common object without learning any personal details about each other. We find that communication is itself duration and that the communicating participants are heterogeneous elements of that duration. As such they are subservient to the act of communication that displays features of autonomous existence. Our model of communication, although accepting the impenetrability of one's person for a complete cognitive penetration from outside, allows for the partial fusion of minds engaged in the same act of communication and negotiating the same subject matter

Interplay: Dialogue of the systematic and intuitive

This thesis focuses on the congnitive activity of graphic designers, and the aim is to help the designer think about their thought developments that formulate their actions

The limits of process: On (re)reading Henri Bergson

This article offers a reading of the work of Henri Bergson as it pertains to organizations through the lens of ideas drawn from critical realism. It suggests an alternative to interpretations based on a stark division between process and realist perspectives. Much of the existing literature presents a rather partial view of Bergson’s work. A review suggests some interesting parallels with themes in critical realism, notably the emergence of mind. Critical realism has a focus on process at its heart, but is also concerned with how the products of such processes become stabilized and form the conditions for action. This suggests that attention might usefully be paid to the relationship between organizational action and the sedimented practices grouped under the heading of ‘routines’. More attention to Bergson’s account of the relationship between instinct, intuition and intelligence provides a link to the social character of thought, something which can be mapped on to Archer’s work on reflexivity and the ‘internal conversation’. This suggests that our analyses need to pay attention to both memory and history, to building and dwelling, rather than the one-sided focus found in some process theory accounts

Peircean semiotics in the context of design praxis: Abduction and perception in dialogue

This paper discusses design process as a creative activity along with conceptual correlations of the semiotics developed by Charles Sanders Peirce. The central aim of this paper is to examine one of the most important concepts in Peirce’s theory related to design praxis: the concept of abduction. Abduction is the driving force behind creation and a way of producing new ideas. Peirce’s original concept is fundamental in order to maintain constant commitment to innovation required by design. To transmit messages in a creative way it is more efficient to intensely work with associations by similarity in order to obtain signs rich in information and analogies. Design communicates by all its constituent elements: shape, function, colour, material, technique, technology, etc. Therefore, signs of design share peculiar values of artistic signs as well as those of communicative ones. The associated information is as much aesthetic (shape) as it is semantic (content). The appropriation of Peircean concepts contributes to the understanding of the creative process, which in turn is crucial for understanding new possibilities by means of design

The Design Postgraduate Journeyman: Mapping the relationship between design thinking and doing with skills acquisition for skilful practice

The relationship between knowing, doing and skillful practice resonate in industry and design education. The connection between creativity, design and successful innovation practices in industry has been debated much recently, heightened by realization in academe and governments that 'we need a different way of thinking and doing if we are to live well and prosper in the future' This paper addresses the question; how to understand more about the relationship of design thinking and doing with learning. It describes research to correlate design knowledge and skill with the pedagogy of skilful practice, thereby supporting pedagogical theory for the design practitioner learner. The research correlates Sennett's review of craftsmanship as skillful thinking and doing, with Dreyfus and dreyfus's model of mental activitiesin the transition of novice to masterful states of skilful practice. It concludes by illustrating the critical transition points to inform educational practice

Macro-reasoning and cognitive gaps: understanding post-Soviet Russians’ communication styles.

Russians and Westerners access, process and communicate information in different ways. Whilst Westerners favour detailed analysis of subject matter, Russians tend to focus on certain components that are, in their view, significant. This disparity makes it difficult to achieve constructive dialogues between Western and Russian stakeholders contributing to cross-cultural communication problems. The author claims that the difference in the ways Russians and Westerners negotiate information is a significant cultural difference between Russia and West rather than an irritating (and in principle amenable) lack of analytical skills on the Russian partners’ part. Understanding the reasons behind the Russian-specific approaches to dealing with information would be a positive step towards a more effective cross-cultural communication, important in business situations and essential in diplomacy

Existential aspects of human existence and the human-centered paradigm in public administration

This article analyzes the philosophical doctrine of the spiritual nature of man as the fundamental basis of his existence. The main focus of the analysis is Viktor Frankl's book "The Unconscious God," which presents an original anthropological theory encompassing all levels of human existence. By perceiving man holistically, this perspective contributes significantly to understanding human nature as a unique form of being. According to Frankl, the spiritual dimension can manifest both consciously and rationally, as well as unconsciously and irrationally. The crucial aspect lies in awakening and activating this spiritual principle within individuals, even if they are unaware of it. In his research, Frankl delves into dreams as a means of exploring the manifestations of the spiritual unconscious, and he conducts an in-depth analysis of conscience as a spiritual existential. This study's relevance stems from the growing prevalence of noogenic neurosis among educated and developed individuals in contemporary society, characterized by a profound sense of meaninglessness and an existential void. Essential existential elements fade from people's worldviews, transforming concepts like love, faith, hope, responsibility, and conscience into mere mental categories. A deeper understanding of this nature represents a crucial step in overcoming the noogenic crisis and facilitating further human evolution

The Phenomenology of Mind­-Independence

I shall defend the view that the experience of resistance gives us a direct phenomenal access to the mind-independence of perceptual objects. In the first part, I address an objection against the very possibility of experiencing mind-independence. The possibility of an experience of mind-independence being secured, I argue in the second part that the experience of resistance is the kind of experience by which we access mind-independence