I KNOW you DON’T KNOW,
even though I don’t know what you claim to know.

¶ 1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 0 I confront this all the time.

¶ 2 Leave a comment on paragraph 2 0 Because of their
expertise, experience, special education, credentials
many persons claim detailed knowledge
that can be demonstrated they actually don’t know.
This is a condition that faces everyone,
as we all confuse knowledge and belief – to some extent.

¶ 3 Leave a comment on paragraph 3 0 But, there is a deeper issue:
Persons sometimes deny that there is
something to know or knowledge to be gained;
either it is impossible to know, or
we can’t learn it at this time, or
we don’t need to know it.

¶ 4 Leave a comment on paragraph 4 0 For some, this “missing” knowledge
is in a blindspot;
the category for their query doesn’t exist.
Yet, as for blindspots,
we are unaware of their existence;
there isn’t a gap, indicating something missing.
We confabulate and cover over the gap
with imaginary content.

¶ 5 Leave a comment on paragraph 5 0 The intent of this doc is to explore this blindspot.
But first, an exploration of the first mentioned type of not knowing,
personal and close to home.

¶ 6 Leave a comment on paragraph 6 0 ********************

¶ 7 Leave a comment on paragraph 7 0 Example, close to home:
My grandson has been addicted for a decade.
He can function at a regular job, and live a “normal” life;
but, it blocks further growth.
He desperately wants to be free,
and has tried detox & rehab, at some expense and pain, many times.

¶ 8 Leave a comment on paragraph 8 0 His mother, did get clean from a much worse addiction,
has been clean for over a decade,
works in the addiction rehab field, and
is currently in grad school to run her own clinic.

¶ 9 Leave a comment on paragraph 9 0 His grandmother earned advanced degrees in addiction treatment,
worked for many years at many levels in the field, but
has not had direct contact with the field in more than a decade.

¶ 10 Leave a comment on paragraph 10 0 Both, mother and grandmother,
insist that THEY know what their grandson needs
to be clean and stay clean.

¶ 11 Leave a comment on paragraph 11 0 Others, observing this phenomenon for a decade,
believe they may be functioning as enablers
for their grandson’s addiction:
which they vehemently deny in such force
that it cuts off all future dialog.

¶ 12 Leave a comment on paragraph 12 0 I was once addicted to tobacco, for 15 years;
even after being an aggressive non-smoker.
I started smoking cigarettes at Woodstock!
I was unable to stop smoking, after trying everything.
One day I remembered that when driving in the UK,
I had suddenly switched left & right, in an instant.
So, I instantly returned to be a non-smoker,
and since then never have the urge to smoke.

¶ 13 Leave a comment on paragraph 13 0 I have no substance addictions, but
I am “addicted” to many life-style routines,
which I find nearly impossible to change.
With 2 PhDs in physics and psychology,
I have some comprehension of evidence and knowledge claims.
I have read about substance addiction, but am no expert.

¶ 14 Leave a comment on paragraph 14 0 I am IGNORANT of substance additions and cures.
That is, I know OF what
I don’t yet know or comprehend, and what I can’t yet do or appreciate.
I know OF what I can learn if needed.

¶ 15 Leave a comment on paragraph 15 0 [ IGNORANCE ]
is an essential, positive concept
for the nu Humanity

¶ 16 Leave a comment on paragraph 16 0 About addiction:
My ignorance informs me there is great diversity
in how persons recover from addictions.
No one can claim that they know,
what is needed in a specific situation;
as with my grandson and his history of multiple failures.
Might it be that having a secure, safe haven
to return to if his rehab fails,
he gives-up when he should continue?
A solution is not to deny him safe haven,
but attend to this and seek a viable treatment;
that is not just a more expensive treatment center,
as are now being promoted by many experts as to what is needed.

¶ 17 Leave a comment on paragraph 17 0 ******************

¶ 18 Leave a comment on paragraph 18 0 Meta Comment:
Although many characterize my ideas as too “abstract”,
most of my conceptual schemes have application
in both the personal/local and the societal/global.
Indeed, conceptual schemes emerge
through a dialog of alternative applications.

¶ 19 Leave a comment on paragraph 19 0 This is consistent, with the concept of analogy/metaphor
being at the core of human comprehension. [Hofstadter]

¶ 20 Leave a comment on paragraph 20 0 *********************

¶ 21 Leave a comment on paragraph 21 0 Contemporary human discourse, on vital issues,
is dominated by many claims of knowledge
that are not confirmed;
yet acted upon as if THE truth, and the WHOLE truth.

¶ 22 Leave a comment on paragraph 22 0 Some of this claimed knowledge is useful,
when recognized as conditional.
Utility emerges through the interaction
of different conceptual schemes;
within meta-contexts, and
applied to specific situations or phenomena.
No single conceptual scheme has much utility.

¶ 23 Leave a comment on paragraph 23 0 This “philosophy” is quite simple
compared to the many complex philosophies
debated the past few decades and currently emergent,
of which I am quite IGNORANT.
Yet, to these philosophers, their ideas seem clear and simple.
The few occasions, when I have dipped into deep philosophy,
I have gained useful insights.
I also recognize that a “mind must be trained”
to read, study, and dialog on these conceptual schemes
at a level to gain adequate comprehension.
They are never memorized.

¶ 24 Leave a comment on paragraph 24 0 So I have learned, over decades of futile efforts
to share my insights and overall “worldview” with others,
that my “philosophy” is not “simple” to others.

¶ 25 Leave a comment on paragraph 25 0 *******************

¶ 26 Leave a comment on paragraph 26 0  At this point, returning after a few hours, there are a great many different paths I might take. This is because the structure/organization of conceptual schemes are, in approximation both nested and networked, with a fractal-like quality. There are no preferred paths for learning conceptual schemes. As they are “conceptual”, they are only represented by semiotic structured fields (semfields), which can be observed and studied by all humans (although “conceptual” interpretations may differ).

¶ 27 Leave a comment on paragraph 27 0 I will let the title of this doc determine the path.

¶ 28 Leave a comment on paragraph 28 0 WHAT do we really KNOW,
that is distinguished from our BELIEFS ?

¶ 29 Leave a comment on paragraph 29 0 I address this to the best mind/brains in humankind,
who are not only concerned about our futures, but
are dedicated to making a significant contribution.

¶ 30 Leave a comment on paragraph 30 0 I could make a link to a list
of the names of such persons I know of,
which is a small percent of those who are out there.
I discover a few new persons-of-interest daily
and wonder why I hadn’t known of them before.

¶ 31 Leave a comment on paragraph 31 0 I am not seeking here
a comprehensive philosophy/theory of knowledge/belief.
I am seeking a pragmatic tool
to “pick the lock” of our “silo/cage”
so we can begin doing what we must do.

¶ 32 Leave a comment on paragraph 32 0 I observe a rapid increase (maybe exponential)
of quality dialog/conversation/discourse
on a growing multitude of topics/issues/projects/etc.,
all relevant to our present/future.

¶ 33 Leave a comment on paragraph 33 0 SURPRISINGLY
I observe nothing, even speculative,
of a scenario through what I call
THE END GAME.

¶ 34 Leave a comment on paragraph 34 0 That is, we need first draft stories
of how we synergize/collaborate/cooperate
to overcome our Crisis-of-Crises:
Societal Collapse & Catastrophic Climate Change,
and the multitude of other associated crises,
in the short time allotted.

¶ 35 Leave a comment on paragraph 35 0 Why the vacuum?
This is a query, not a question.
There are no short, simple answers.

¶ 36 Leave a comment on paragraph 36 0 This query has been at the top of my agenda
for almost five decades.
I have written what could be published
in a dozen large treatises;
and yet it would not be the needed STORY.

¶ 37 Leave a comment on paragraph 37 0 A story or scenario has to be experienced over time,
line reading a serial novel or viewing a video series.
I doubt whether a single novel or film would suffice.

¶ 38 Leave a comment on paragraph 38 0 Any specific version of this scenario
would be comprehended by only a small percent of the population.
Even if the first draft were to target 1 % of the global population,
it might probably need many variations.

¶ 39 Leave a comment on paragraph 39 0 The “resolution” to our “difficulty” may be that
the story cannot be “written”, as others are written.
That is, “we” must research this challenge,
to gain the knowledge and competencies
to develop scenarios and strategies for
the end game.

¶ 40 Leave a comment on paragraph 40 0 —– to be continued  06/27/2016