Inclusion

We know realities by making connections. All that we know remains as a body of connections. Our brain goes blank if we cannot make connections. In making connections we see nothing as an isolated thing-in-itself. Even theists do not see God in complete isolation. They see their god in connection with the source from which they heard of him, what he is supposed to have created and his deeds. God for some is that which is dependent on nothing else for its existence. But everything else we understand by knowing is physical connections - lightning for example, by its connections with atmospheric phenomena.

Given the vastness of the world microscopically and cosmic vastness, none of us should be confident that we have grasped anything completely. Given the interconnectedness of everything, we know the essence of nothing. We can only approximate.

In approximating, some things are more clear than others. But the temptation to oversimplify exists. Over-simplification is the result of ignoring connections. In examining the past we are not going to understand an event if we miss significant connections that contributed to the creation of that event.

An example of an oversimplification regarding social phenomena is the proclamation that the conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians is nationalistic and has nothing to do with religion. It is true that nationalism is involved in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and it is true that the founders of Israel were secular. But to exclude religious differences from far back in history to today as one of the elements in the conflict deprives one of a fuller understanding of the conflict.

Psychohistory is another example of insufficient inclusion, or over-simplification. Another example of over-simplification exists with the statement, "No Hitler, no holocaust." At any rate, Hitler could not have done slaughtered the Jews without others willing to help, obey or go along - a matter of inclusion. Moreover, "no Hitler, no holocaust" is an assumption. We do not know that had Hitler not existed, prevailing circumstances would have produced another anti-Semite fascist in power seeking the annihilation of Jews in wartime as Hitler did. Hitler was very much the product of circumstances in Germany, and Genocide in time of war was not uncommon. Assumptions involve ignoring matters that might need to be included.

In trying to understand events and realities, we are forever challenged to be as inclusive as possible.

NEXT: science and philosophy

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