Distinct experimental method for each science
Chapter 3 of Goethean Holistic Science 2022 revision. Goethe’s solution for Dr. Frankenstein science
As each order of science has its own distinct intelligence and genius, it also has its own characteristic, general experimental method.
First Order Science ~
What works for me only has to be true for one person, me. What works for you only has to be true for one person, you. If X works for both of us, we can celebrate this; if not, I still have what works for me; you still have what works for you.
First-order-science has its natural application in supporting-healing human beings on each level physical, imaginal, emotional, mental and mythological (PACME).
The timeframe is only NOW. My individual intention and subjective state are very much a part of “what works for me” and “what does not work for me now.” More broadly, John-Roger says, “If it works for you use it, if not, have the wit to let it go.”
The general form of First Order experimental method is bridging communication between conscious-waking-Self and immune-system-self. When these two connect, we have the primary form of self-connection.
Methods of self-connection
Self-connection can be as simple as placing your hand on your heart center and knowing whether X is beneficial or not beneficial, for you, at this time. This simple method turns out to be one of the more advanced methods; yet, many women can already do this.
The two recommended Best Practices in Self Connection as of 2022 are:
1) Arm-length-testing https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=%22Arm-Length+Test%22
Ignore the emphasis on Yes~No. That’s abstract. Our small intestine villi are “asking” ‘Beneficial for me now?’ or ‘Not beneficial for me now?’
2) PTS DSS Client-Controlled Testing using two people. Instead of one person being the expert and one person the passive testee, the settee is 100% in charge. Second person is only an arm-pushing-mechanism who makes no comments nor interpretations of results, a kind of confidentiality Testee monitors and responds to how hard second person pushes and makes 100% of all interpretations of what results mean — https://www.ptswisdom.org/course/index.php
Cell-level-intelligence functions primarily in the domain of the body-lifestyle-psyche of single individuals. As John-Roger says, “If it works for you use it, if not, have the wit to let it go.” This is EXACTLY what occurs in our small intestine 24/7, deciding whether to take single nutrients into our blood stream — or not.
Second Order Science ~
The characteristic general experimental method of Second Order Science is familiar:
Observation > Hypothesis > experiment > New observation > New hypothesis
Used appropriately, Second Order Science is fantastic for exploring, researching and resolving things things in the outer world; especially, for any and all part-to-whole processes, such as, building a go-kart; or, installing hot and cold running water in homes and so on. Follow instructions; then, trial and error.
Third-order-science ~
The characteristic practical experimental method of third Order Science is patient questioning, until a concern has been considered from the viewpoint of each stakeholder.
Creative imagination is crucial to move out of our own point of view and “walk a mile in the moccasins of another.” Let’s remember parents of children do this daily, mothers and fathers imagining what is best for their child. To do this as adults, with other adults, begins to treat other people as family.
If a lot of people are stakeholders in a decision, meetings run the risk of being long and boring. Best Practices are for leadership to pay close attention to the quality of group process. As needed, vary interaction and variety to keep things FUN, social and interactive. This was a hard-won lesson in business meetings of teacher-run Waldorf schools and worth knowing about if boring meetings are an obstacle to work getting done.
Ideally all three sciences use left-brain methods
- Observation and experimental discovery,
- Hypothesis > experiment > new hypothesis
- Reality testing
- While each order of science is active in widely separated frequencies of our psyche, rigor and precision are still valued.
Ideally all three sciences use right-brain methods
Ideally, all three sciences can and do employ right-hemisphere intelligences:
- Imagination-visualization
- Inspiration
- Intuition
- Metaphors
Second-order science: math-mechanics, 2 + 2 = 4
Second-order science is the science we are most schooled in and accustomed to think about. One-third of the science we use every day is the familiar science of worldly survival and social competition.
Because Second Order Science is ‘survival science,’ criteria for ‘what is real and true’ are highest here:
To be “real,” phenomena must be replicable, in all places, at all times, by anyone, regardless of intention or subjective state.
This is the kind of thinking you want, if physical-material survival is your priority.
If something works for everyone and everyone, like breathing oxygen, or drinking clean water, second-order science can make surveys, charts diagrams, maps and handbooks to inform anyone about local water conditions and remedies. This is where observer-spectator, survival-competition science excels.
That’s one of three intelligences we use every day, the middle of three intelligences we use every day.
Dangers of each Science Order
First Order dangers
The archetypal danger of the Land of the Lotus Eaters is here, the danger of NEVER emerging out at all from the wholeness of Nature, staying a child eternally, eternally immature, unable-unwilling to manipulate the environment adequately and sufficiently, for the needs of our self, family and tribe.
At this extreme, applying our intelligence to practical problems is cancelled by merging with Oneness, “ignorance is bliss.”
The other danger of First Order Science is self-satisfaction: “I got mine. Go get yours. End of story.” Selfishness. This is why parents hope their nay-saying two year old develops maturity fast.
Math in First Order Science
Thee is less math as you go down the Orders. First Order has less math; yet, not no math. Even rudimentary math is useful. A three year old child can tell you whether they prefer a raw apple slice or a carrot stick. This is math in the domain of two. A five year old can tell you which of three food choices they prefer.
This is why self-testing (old name: muscle testing) was such a revolution in the period 1974–1995. As long as users are in the domain of one person at a time, muscle testing is quite objective and 90% replicable, between two experienced testers (note: not 100%).
self-testing in the domain of two works because the villi in your small intestine; and, every other cell and metabolic level navigating activity by chemical lock and key routines, is applying yes~no thinking — math in the domain of two. In this way First Order Science uses far few math methods, only rudimentary methods; yet, it uses these thousands of times an hour, thousands of times a day. In this way also memory engines (computers) process vast amounts of data sorting only ones (1s) and zeroes (0s).
Second Order dangers
The dangers of Second Order Science are well-known. Ask Dr. Frankenstein. Here Lehrs’ Man or Matter outshines all other books of science history and criticism known to me. Unnecessary and unwarranted abstractions top the list of sins. Our intellect and mind is a wonderful servant; yet, a terrible master. “It is not the senses which deceive; it is our judgment which deceives us” ~ Goethe in Lehrs. These last two paraphrase Iain McGilchrist handily.
Another danger, the science of math can collect only abstractions about Nature. Looking only at what is true in math, second-order-science easily “sees past” Nature, sees only the component pieces of Nature’s Oneness, sees “thru” the face of Nature, misses Her face, misses Her countenance, misses Her nurturing gaze (Lehrs paraphrase).
For example we tell school children the purpose of plants is to make seeds so new plants can grow next year. Nonsense. This is Monsanto’s point of view, not a plant’s point of view.
Within First Order Science we realize for a plant, doing the same thing over and over again endlessly is robot’s work, no fun at all, nothing evolving.
For annual plants, the purpose of the plant is the flower, to make flowers, to live as a flower, if only for a short time.
At no other time does an annual plant express such perfect geometry as in its flower. In this it approximates the perfection and symmetry of Divine Archetypes.
For a plant, the root-root-root and leaf-leaf-leaf rhythm is all very well yet as an etheric being, each plant also aspires to something more. To what? To the animal kingdom. In its flower, the plant approximates a face, often uses scent, approximates sexual expression with partners close by or at a distance. In flowering and pollination, a plant pantomimes, as best a plant can, the activity of animals. Each year annual plants look forward to producing a flower all out of proportion to making seeds.
To anthropomorphize this comically, no plant writes home to mother, “What big seeds I made this year.” Plants are proudest of the flowers they make.
Seeds are a consequence of flowers but compared to the advent of a blossom, more like a practical after-thought, clearly not the main attraction-sensation.
Second Order Science is a terrific fact-finding instrument. It’s not so hot as a means to reunite with Nature and God as our Partners (Lehrs paraphrase).
2nd Order Science-intellect shone most brightly 1850–1955
Between 1850–1955 this science shone most brightly in humanity. This was the period of ‘Sherlock Holmes thinking.’
As the most intellectually brilliant of the three sciences, Second Order necessarily promotes a detached, spectator-observer viewpoint, a dis-embodied viewpoint, divorced from ‘Nature as my Partner,’ Creation as my Partner; and inevitably, divorced from “God is my Partner.”
Mathematics is part of HOW Second Order Science intellects maintain their distance from Nature and from Beloved Divine Energy.
Onlooker-spectator-observer science cannot be overcome by math or logic because these are its primary tools of abstracting itself from Nature so it can detach and observe.
Attempts by science in the 1950s to portray nuclear energy as, “Our friend the atom” rings hollow now for anyone nine years old. Man-made, man-concentrated, nuclear power is unnatural and not necessary; man-made nuclear energy will never be “friendly” to human beings.
As Lehrs says, “…one of the peculiarities of the onlooker-consciousnesses is it is devoid of all connection with [earthly] reality. [On the other hand] thinking itself gains a degree of freedom which did not exist in former ages.”
After WWII and especially after 1970, due to a hundred years of or more of self-dissociation, lack of self-connection, conventional Second Order Science evolved so little and so slowly, new science paradigms began to proliferate. Some were sustainable, some not.
Third Order dangers
The dangers of no morals, no ethics and no healthy, truly human values is all around us in 2022. Nothing to add, except this:
“Being a scientist is simply being careful not to fool yourself” ~ John Carlson, amateur rocket scientist
Iain McGilchrist would certainly agree with this.
