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Overview of Typology

SolitaryWalker

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IV. Foundations of Typology

The purpose of this short essay is to outline in detail how each of the elements of typology functions, and how they relate to the big picture of type.



Before we proceed to our definitions, a very short exposition of the subject is desirable. Carl Jung has regarded his inquiry into Kant and Schopenhauer as the most intellectually challenging endeavor he has embarked on. It is from the aforementioned Kant that he has derived the idea concerning the antithesis of Feeling and Thinking. Or dispassionate contemplation and endorsement of the passions. This idea has been championed by Schopenhauer as well. The same Schopenhauer has maintained that all creatures tend to be driven by a blind amorphous force that they do not understand which primarily manifests in a form of abrupt impulses. This he calls the Will. Schopenhauer recommends pursuit of fine arts and intellectual endeavors to tame this force. The loftier the person, the less impulsive he shall be and therefore less influenced by the Will. However, Schopenhauer also clearly argues that the Will is the essence of our being. The pure impulsive force is what drives us at the core. When we do away with the will, we will cease to exist and nothing shall be left of us but the pure intellect. We will be a weight-less mirror of the world. Clearly, this is tantamount to non-existence.



On these grounds, granted that Schopenhauer has arrived at the truth, that there is an antithesis between the intellect and impulse. By virtue of this, we notice an antithesis between Introversion and Extroversion, Intuition and Sensation, and Thinking and Feeling. Very controversially, many, since Jung have argued that Feeling is a rational function. For this reason one may be persuaded to classify it among the intellectual faculties. However, Feeling is clearly antithetical with Thinking in the Kantian-Schopenhauerian philosophy. Schopenhauer has made many explicit references concerning the connection of feeling and impulse to promote his assertion that Feeling is indeed part of the Will. This connection seems very intuitive also, as every conscious sensation leads to an emotive response. We often use the terms of ‘I felt’ and ‘I sensed’ in an interchangeable fashion. For example, if one were to say I felt cold today or I sensed coldness we would be led to infer that these are merely two different ways of saying the same thing. One is forced to ask to what degree Feeling is a rational function. Feeling clearly tell us whether things are agreeable to us or they are not. Yet it does not tell us what they are. Thus Feeling without the proper accommodation of Thinking will either feel in harmony with the general sentiment or in disharmony, will not be able to clearly identify what the source of harmony or disharmony is. This is the case because Thinking is what shows evinces structure in all things, it is concerned with objective laws of reasoning. This is our only instrument with regards discovering what thing are. Thus, if one is to use Feeling without using Thinking, one would not have a clear-cut notion of what his sentiments are aimed at, he merely would sense the sentiments without understanding their aim or their source.



Thinking provides the logical structure for all things and is concerned with the impersonal analysis of reality. Because Feeling in itself lacks structure, and yields only the sentiment of agreement or disagreement, it can be regarded as rational to a very limited degree. It clearly has more in common with Thinking rather than with the perceiving functions as it is a conscious cognitive faculty, yet it is a mistake to think Feeling to be nearly as rational as Thinking. In other words, if all faculties were assessed on a scale of 1 and 10, 1 being least rational or pure unconscious perception and 10 being rigorous logical scrutiny, Feeling likely would receive the rating of a 6

In summary, it should be stated that the Introverted type, the Intuitive and the Thinking type are energized primarily through contemplation. The Extroverted type, Sensing and Feeling primarily through furtherance of passion. Very often through action. We hold for this to be true due to our earlier distinction between the intellect and impulse. Clearly impulse is to be associated with passion and action and the intellect with contemplation. As a matter of truism, it appears to be that Schopenhauer was correct to maintain that intellectual endeavors rob us of the Will. From this it could be inferred that they divest us of the physical energy. Thus all physical energy must necessarily be associated with the latter group of types and not the former. One shall ask then, how could there be an Intuitive type, a Thinking type or an Introverted type.



They must altogether be lifeless. This would be the case if they were a pure type. Such a thing is indeed impossible. By virtue of the Hegelian master-slave dialect, which we shall further explore in inquiries to follow, the Introverted type could be recognized as the type that has subjugated the extroverted elements of himself to serve the will of the introverted. Or in other words, pure contemplation does not lead to energy on its own right, but the introvert is energized through contemplation because the energy of extroversion is accessed at the behest of the introverted mindset. Thus, as a result of this, the introvert feels a reaction akin to influx of physical energy as a result of contemplation. However, genuine interaction with the external environment is necessary in order to retain faculties associated with influx of physical energy. For this reason the introvert cannot sustain his physical well being solely by virtue of contemplation. Genuine extroversion is necessary. This brings us back to an earlier point concerning the interdependence of functions. As Jung has mentioned, no function can be eliminated but could only be severely distorted, as each one is an integral faculty of the psychic economy.


Accordingly, we have first established that Introversion cannot be wholly autonomous from Extroversion. Vice versa has been established in the earlier section of this chapter. As David Hume has famously argued that it is the passions that have the final say over our actions and not the intellect. Hence, Thinking cannot be autonomous without Feeling. To further elaborate on this matter, the reason why we are able to be satisfied with our thinking is because we are able to generate an agreeable feeling in relation to cogent thinking. In other words, when a logician sees a statement that he regards as coherent, he generates a positive emotive sentiment, and for this reason he is able to find the motivation to embrace the idea that he regards as plausible. When he sees an incoherent statement, he associates a negative emotional reaction with such a statement and therefore finds the motivation to reject it. If our thinking was not accommodated by such an aforementioned feeling, our impersonal reasoning would remain wholly independent of us. It would be meaningless in colloquial terms, we would have no motivation to embrace or reject a proposition on the grounds of cogency or lack thereof. In short, the reason why we regard cogency as desirable is not one of purely a matter of intellectual notion, but also because there is a feeling associated with a notion we have reasons to believe is cogent. Feeling is not independent from Thinking because in order to make sound value judgments one must have at least the most superficial idea possible of the subject matter that the value judgments are passed on. Intuition is not independent of Sensation because in order for us to conceive ideas in imagination, they must first be inspired by something that has been observed in the concrete world. Sensation is not independent of Intuition because in order for one to properly record impressions derived from sense data, the intellect must be engaged to a certain degree.


1)Pure typology: Study of the unconscious tendencies within the psyche of the individual. This is to be placed within the realm of philosophy of mind.
2)Applied typology: Study of how the type of the individual manifests through personality. This is a question of psychology. How types interplay with each other, from the standpoint of applied typology is a question of sociology. When handling matters of applied typology it is important to consider the cultural factors environing the given type. As well as the psychological factors of the individual who inhabits the type. Applied typology is best performed through carefully controlled empirical studies. This is the case because applied typology is concerned with how our unconscious cognitive predispositions influence us to behave in our current environment. For this reason the circumstances external to the psyche are crucial. Only careful observations of such circumstances could lead to accurate results, and such observations could only be conducted in carefully controlled empirical studies. David Keirsey’s please Understand Me and Dr.Avilla’s Love Types represent the work in applied typology.
3) Positive energy-This term need not presuppose any supernatural phenomena. It is simply synonymous with positive emotion which encourages the individual to carry on with the endeavor he is currently preoccupied with. A cognitive faculty is regarded as our type when positive energy is evoked as a result of its utilization.
4)Negative energy-Negative emotion which discourages the individual from carrying on with the task he is preoccupied with. When we rely on a function that is antithetical to our type, negative energy ensues.
5)Type-An unconscious tendency towards a certain way of thinking. It is biologically conditioned to a greater degree than it is conditioned through interaction with the external world. Hence, the input of nature is more prominent than that of nurture. One’s prominent type is to be associated with habits of mind that he tends to derive most positive psychological energy from.
6)Personality-The overall qualities of the individual. A type may influence one’s personality, though only to a very limited degree, as factors of psychology and sociology in many cases tend to be more prominent. For example, an introvert who chose to enter politics may develop personality traits that we may regard as outgoing, or assertive, despite that he is naturally energized more by silent contemplation rather than interaction with the external world.
7)Extroversion: An unconscious tendency to accumulate energy through interaction with the external world. Extroverted Type tends to be energized through interaction with the external world. Because of such an intense focus on the external world, the extroversion tends to derive its agenda from the external world.
8)Extrovert-One who is focused more on the external world. A person who is primarily concerned with interaction with the external world. (Applied typology/psychology).
9)Introversion-An unconscious tendency to accumulate energy through interaction with the inner world. Interaction with the inner world equates lack of interaction with the external world. It need not involve contemplation of profound ideas. Because of the intense focus on the internal world, introversion tends to derive its agenda through internal scrutiny of the external world, rather than from the external world directly. In applied typology we may adduce that because the introvert is focused on the inner life to a much more intense degree than he is focused on the outer life, he tends to define the external world by his own internal standards. Conversely, the Extrovert tends to define himself by his external environment. This idea has been established by Jung in the Psychological Types and it has been popularized by Lenor Thomson.
10)Introvert-A person primarily concerned with interaction with the inner world. (Applied typology/psychology)
11)Perception-Collection of information through interplay with the external environment.
12)Introverted Perception-Relation to the environment in terms of the agenda of the subject. Perceptions are filtered through the scope of the Introvert.
13)Introverted Intuition- Faculty of abstract perception, collection of information. Information is collected in terms of how it relates to the subject. The environment is perceived in terms of its relevance to the perceiver. Hence, only small portions of the environment are deemed important. Abstract perception is synonymous with imagination. Therefore the external environment is not only distorted by the natural perceptions of the subject, but also due to the very active imagination of the perceiver.
14)Introverted Sensation-Faculty of concrete perception. Primarily concerned with collecting information about the physical environment. Concrete observations are distorted because of the factor of subjectivity of perception.
15)Extroverted Perception-Relation of the subject to the external environment in terms of the external agenda. The subject adapts to the external environment. The external environment is perceived directly because the subject tends to interfere little with the direct interaction with the external environment.
16)Extroverted Intuition-Faculty of abstract perception and direct interaction with the external environment. This cognitive tendency leads one to live his life out directly in the external world. Unlike Introverted Intuition, Extroverted imagination tends to be applicable to the external world.
17)Extroverted Sensation-Faculty of concrete perception and interaction with the external world.
18)Judgment-Conscious scrutiny.
19)Extroverted Judgment-Conscious scrutiny by the externally derived methodology. Judgment is not filtered through the internal agenda.
20)Introverted Judgment-Conscious scrutiny through an internally derived standard. A completely internally derived standard is impossible because judgment necessarily deals with the material that could be judged which derives from the external environment, however in this case, unlike the Extroverted Judgment, the Introvert incepts the external environment through his internal scope.
21) Introverted Thinking-Conscious scrutiny of impersonal variables through impersonal methodology by virtue of an internal agenda.(Logic)
22)Introverted Feeling- Conscious scrutiny of an interpersonal variables through an internally grounded interpersonal agenda.
23)Extroverted Thinking- Conscious scrutiny of impersonal variables through externally grounded impersonal agenda of reasoning. (Logic)
24)Extroverted Feeling- Conscious scrutiny of interpersonal variables through an externally grounded interpersonal agenda. (Value judgment)
25) Objective 1: In tune with the external object. Not in relation with the internal cognitive process concerning the matter. Extroversion is an example of such a phenomenon.
26)Objective 2: Not influenced by one’s interpersonal judgment. Able to attain a perspective devoid of prejudice.
27)Hegelian Master slave dialect- This definition is to be used strictly in the typological context and not to the full extent in relevance to the Hegelian philosophy. This phenomenon concerns the notion of superior functions subordinating those lower in rank. For example, if one is a dominant Thinking type, their Feeling faculties will be used to serve the purpose of the Thinking faculty by virtue of the Hegelian master slave dialect.

28) Temperament- An aggregate of types or our individual unconscious tendencies. As aforementioned, no function is completely autonomous and we use all of them at all times. Type is defined as the cognitive tendency that generates the most positive energy. Temperament is virtually a list of functions starting with those that generate the most positive energy and finishing with those that generate the least positive energy, or generate the most negative energy.

We have 4 pairs of antithetical faculties. A) Extroversion and Introversion. B)Thinking and Feeling. C)Intuition and Sensation. D)Judgment and perception.

II. Essence of Temperament

“The conscious psyche is an apparatus for adaptation and orientation, and consists of a number of different psychic functions. Among these we can distinguish four basic ones: sensation, thinking, feeling, intuition….So far as my experience goes, these four basic functions seem to me sufficient to express and represent the various modes of conscious orientation. For complete orientation all four functions should contribute equally: thinking should facilitate cognition and judgment, feeling should tell us how and to what extent a thing is important or unimportant to us, sensation should convey concrete reality to us through seeing, hearing, tasting, etc. and intuition should enable us to divine the hidden possibilities in the background, since these too belong to the complete picture of a given situation. In reality, however, these basic functions are seldom or never uniformly differentiated and equaled at our disposal. As a rule one or the other function occupies the foreground, while the rest remain undifferentiated in the background.” Psychological Types. P 518
As has been mentioned in chapter one, all functions contradict one another, as well as the attitudes. To recapitulate, Thinking and Feeling contradict one another because they both strive to make a decision, yet the former insists on dispassionate contemplation of the situation, yet the latter on personal involvement. Intuition and Sensation contradict one another because the former insists on abstract contemplation of ideas and the latter insists on mere attunement with the concrete phenomena observed. Close affinity with Sensation inadvertently eclipses Intuition because in order to effectively contemplate ideas, one must manipulate many images. This activity is stultified by Sensation because it insists on the focus on one particular object. Extroversion and Introversion are antithetical to each other because the latter insists on internal cognitive processing of the external world, whilst the former insists on withholding contemplation in order to directly interact with the external world. Judgment and Perception are antithetical to each other because the former insists on analysis of the previously perceived ideas which puts perception on hold, yet perception insists on collection of ideas about the external world, which in effect insists on postponement of judgment because judgment interferes with the influx of new perceptions. Temperament consists in first of all the presence of these four antithetical groups and secondly in the prevalence of one over the other. One should ask again, what reasons does one have to believe in the existence of those four groups. Clearly, everyone Intuits, everyone experiences Sensations, everyone reasons dispassionately and everyone makes value judgments. These four dichotomies are indeed crude, but on a superficial level they depict how the human mind tends to work. They are crude in the respect that they only inform us of the basic procedures within the human mind, we must inquire further into philosophy of mind and neuroscience for more profound insight. It is unlikely that any discovery in neuroscience shall refute the existence of these four dichotomies because they depict the very basic and foundational features of our mind. Clearly, however, those discoveries will endow us with more profound insight with respect to these features. With respect to our second question, we ask, why must there be a primacy of one faculty over the other? The answer is, because the two entities involved in each dichotomy are antithetical and therefore both strive for control in our psyche, one must prevail over the other in order to attain a clear sense of direction in our thought. The fact that almost all individuals are able to function properly in their thought and action shows that this occurrence has taken place.

III. On Utility of Typology
It is clear, however, that it is impossible for one to inquire into pure typology without having crossed the territory of applied typology. This is the case because in order for us to properly understand the unconscious tendencies of thought we must first observe human behavior of individuals engaging in thought. For most sound understanding of tendencies of thought possible, we would be well advised to study the works of literature, philosophy, the sciences and the arts of individuals we choose to observe rather than their behavior during interaction with the external world. This is the case because such observations allow for us to have a more clear view of the thought process of these individuals. Their interaction with the external world obfuscates this for the following reasons, the external world may impose sanctions on them which force them to behave in a fashion different from that of their natural predilections, they may be unaware of their natural predilections and the external behavior may not be indicative enough of how one thinks. This is the case because at superficial social interactions for example, or many work-related situations, individuals are not given the opportunity or the inspiration to fully express their thoughts. When we deal with the works of these individuals in intellectual endeavors, they are given ample opportunity and inspiration to do so. Moreover, even if they happen to be confused about what their natural predilections are, they are easier to be discovered in such works because more of their reasoning process is displayed in such situations rather than in those where they have little opportunity or inspiration to present us with their thoughts. In our study of temperaments we have discovered that many of the discussed faculties of type are antithetical, and in effect some inevitably will be prevalent over others. We also know that all functions are utilized as Jung stated, they are indispensable factors of our psychic economy. Prevalence of one function over the other means that one is simply utilized more than the other. As Jung has stated, for ‘complete orientation’ it is desirable to soundly use all functions. The use of one function precludes the use of the other, which poses a certain hindrance to this task. Such a dilemma is to be resolved as follows. The prevalent functions shall be the most influential in one’s psyche, however, the less influential functions, after having been developed shall be regarded as utilities to be embraced at the behest of the prevalent faculties.
It is certainly unrewarding to devote our study of typology chiefly to applied typology, or merely to the tasks of solving theoretical problems of the subject. However, despite that this present inquiry is chiefly concerned with the theoretical aspect of typology, it is very much applicable to our practical concerns. It is important however to make sure that our knowledge of theoretical typology is sound, otherwise we may encounter errors in practical applications of our ideas. Temperament, tends to inform us of our true inner faculties and how they could be best utilized. Accurate knowledge of this requires first of all an inquiry into our cognitive predispositions. How such predispositions manifest in the external world is a question of psychology and sociology and requires carefully controlled studies. For this reason I have omitted many practical questions of typology such as, what is the most fitting romantic type for the given type in question? Or what type is most adept at this or that particular job? Or more pertinently, how does a type tend to act whilst being psychologically sound or unsound? These questions can be answered in entirety, granted that these questions are not posed in an open-ended fashion, but specifically in relation to a certain context. Thus human temperament is to be studied to the end of better understanding our natural predispositions and in effect discovering ways to be true to ourselves and better interact with the external world. As the Jungian analysis of human thought has evinced to us, the problem of type sheds light in regard to many problems concerning human nature and to what extent knowledge of this phenomenon can ameliorate our interactions with the external world and ourselves.
 

SillySapienne

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I might have bad eyes, but the wall of text you provide is visually irritating, (as in it literally hurts my eyes to attempt to read it). Please, remember that this is not written and read on a piece of paper, but rather on an LCD screen.

I am interested in reading it but my eyes say nay.
 

Harmonic

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Whatever, I enjoyed the post.

Bluewing, I presume this is an excerpt from your latest book?
 

G-Virus

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Jimminey Jillackers, Holy wall of text batman!

But I think I might enjoy reading it, not today though because I need sleep.
 

SolitaryWalker

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I thank you all for the careful critical examination of my opening post! I found your feedback profoundly illuminating!
 

Kestrel

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With respect to our second question, we ask, why must there be a primacy of one faculty over the other? The answer is, because the two entities involved in each dichotomy are antithetical and therefore both strive for control in our psyche, one must prevail over the other in order to attain a clear sense of direction in our thought. The fact that almost all individuals are able to function properly in their thought and action shows that this occurrence has taken place.

I have a few pretty basic questions about this. I've observed some members claiming to have a strongly developed auxiliary function. For example, as an INFJ, if I were to say I have a developed Ti function, it would work against my Fe, wouldn't it? Since T and F "both strive for control of our psyche", are these people incorrect in assuming you can develop one function without neglecting another? It's not possible to be fully balanced, is it?

And, yes, I did read your entire post. It was pretty informative. Thanks for putting the time in.
 

Siegfried

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IV. Foundations of Typology


Thinking provides the logical structure for all things and is concerned with the impersonal analysis of reality. Because Feeling in itself lacks structure, and yields only the sentiment of agreement or disagreement, it can be regarded as rational to a very limited degree. It clearly has more in common with Thinking rather than with the perceiving functions as it is a conscious cognitive faculty, yet it is a mistake to think Feeling to be nearly as rational as Thinking. In other words, if all faculties were assessed on a scale of 1 and 10, 1 being least rational or pure unconscious perception and 10 being rigorous logical scrutiny, Feeling likely would receive the rating of a 6

Very detailed observations. About the feeling function, you say it is much like a rudimentary equivalent of rationality. Also that Schopenhauer recommends pursuit of fine arts and intellectual endeavors to tame this force, the will. So would that mean a dominant feeler would, if due to intellectual quantification of feelings, via undertones in areas of interest like pyschology, sociology, philosophy, would start assuming a detached, disspassioned approach to others, much resembling, the thinker? This what I presume transformed Carl Jung. The internal conflict between impulse and will, would make it difficult for most feelers though, under this hypothesis.
 

SolitaryWalker

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I have a few pretty basic questions about this. I've observed some members claiming to have a strongly developed auxiliary function. For example, as an INFJ, if I were to say I have a developed Ti function, it would work against my Fe, wouldn't it? Since T and F "both strive for control of our psyche", are these people incorrect in assuming you can develop one function without neglecting another? It's not possible to be fully balanced, is it?

And, yes, I did read your entire post. It was pretty informative. Thanks for putting the time in.

It is possible to have both Fe and Ti equally well developed yes, though to be an Fe type means to have a stronger natural predilections towards Fe than Ti. It is not possible to have an equally strong predilection towards both, however, it is possible, but difficult to be equally skilled at things you are talented at and at things thay you are not.

For instance, a scholar may be more talented at brainstorming ideas (N) than at writing poetry (F), but with great effort he could acquire an equal amount of skill with both. Yet due to his natural dispositions, he will always have an easier time with the former than with the latter. For this reason we tend to have more skill with our dominant function than with the auxiliary, but this is not so in all cases as our natural predispositions do not guarantee that we will act in a way that we are predisposed towards. ('Biology is not destiny')


Very detailed observations. About the feeling function, you say it is much like a rudimentary equivalent of rationality. Also that Schopenhauer recommends pursuit of fine arts and intellectual endeavors to tame this force, the will. So would that mean a dominant feeler would, if due to intellectual quantification of feelings, via undertones in areas of interest like pyschology, sociology, philosophy, would start assuming a detached, disspassioned approach to others, much resembling, the thinker? This what I presume transformed Carl Jung. The internal conflict between impulse and will, would make it difficult for most feelers though, under this hypothesis.

The idea that Schopenhauer champions is very similar to what Blake and Tolstoy stood, namely that art would turn people away from their emotional ways and focus them on the intellectual.

Art evokes emotion in most of us and because of this at the outset this proposition seems counter intuitive. However, it is plausible because most people would be willing to think deeply about matters they have a personal interest in. (They would be more likely to think about these matters than about ivory tower subjects).

Art is often not focused entirely on emotion, but also contains ideas one can reflect upon, yet inevitably focuses on emotion to a notable degree. Thus, it gets the individual personally involved, appeals to his interests and on that note has given him the reason to start thinking on his own endeavor.

In addition to this, Schopenhauer had a very detailed metaphysical argument in favor of the claim why fine arts conduce to the emendation of the intellect.
 

THEANO

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I presume your book is 'in the works' as we speak. Although much of what I digested here is interesting, it is rather difficult to read due to the lack of white spaces and its rather dry manner of presentation. Would you share your bibliography here? There are several points I'd love to explore through the original writings you base your text on
 

SolitaryWalker

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I presume your book is 'in the works' as we speak. Although much of what I digested here is interesting, it is rather difficult to read due to the lack of white spaces and its rather dry manner of presentation. Would you share your bibliography here? There are several points I'd love to explore through the original writings you base your text on

Psychological Types by Carl Jung is the only bibliographical work I can cite. My book was more focused on acquisition of new insight about the subject rather than exposition of the works already published on typology.

(I have used Jung's work for rhetorical purposes, or for the purposes of clarification. I have quoted him where my views were consistent with his, as a way of offering a different way of presenting the same idea to the reader. Or quite simply, by putting it in different words. However, I have not accepted Jung's ideas in a non-critical manner.)
 

ThatsWhatHeSaid

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BlueWing,

Your posts, and books, are not going to be popular unless you start writing with the purpose of communicating with people, rather than sounding technical and accurate. Right now, it wouldn't reach anyone but philosophers, and even then, how many philosophers are interested in a classification system like this? I don't know too many. Lay people are interested, but they don't want to read something that's so dry.

Good luck,
Edahn
 

SolitaryWalker

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BlueWing,

Your posts, and books, are not going to be popular unless you start writing with the purpose of communicating with people, rather than sounding technical and accurate. Right now, it wouldn't reach anyone but philosophers, and even then, how many philosophers are interested in a classification system like this? I don't know too many. Lay people are interested, but they don't want to read something that's so dry.

Good luck,
Edahn

Agreed, however, typology, if rightly viewed, is more of an inquiry into human nature than a classification system because it purports to evince the basic patterns of our unconscious predilections.
 

ThatsWhatHeSaid

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Agreed, however, typology, if rightly viewed, is more of an inquiry into human nature than a classification system because it purports to evince the basic patterns of our unconscious predilections.

Even if that is the case, it doesn't change much about your writing style and its efficacy. PS, you're still doing it.

Regarding unconscious predilections, I dunno. I'd agree it does provide some insight into the way people think, but I gain much much more insight by studying psychology (not just personality, but all types) and then practicing using all of it. Sometimes, even, dropping all the frameworks provides bursts of insight. Juggling too many frameworks, MBTI included, can easily distort your perception and make you miss lots of information. Here's a question for you: what is the BEST way to really get to understand how people's minds work? Is it typology or something else? Personally, I think understanding people's fears and needs are the best way of piecing together behavioral and personality patterns.
 

SolitaryWalker

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Even if that is the case, it doesn't change much about your writing style and its efficacy. PS, you're still doing it.

Regarding unconscious predilections, I dunno. I'd agree it does provide some insight into the way people think, but I gain much much more insight by studying psychology (not just personality, but all types) and then practicing using all of it. Sometimes, even, dropping all the frameworks provides bursts of insight. Juggling too many frameworks, MBTI included, can easily distort your perception and make you miss lots of information. Here's a question for you: what is the BEST way to really get to understand how people's minds work? Is it typology or something else? Personally, I think understanding people's fears and needs are the best way of piecing together behavioral and personality patterns.

If we want to understand how the minds of people work, psychology is the field to study as it examines their thought and actions directly, or through empirical investigation.

This is not the aim of typology. Typology merely evinces the basic unconscious predilections, yet it has very little to comment on regarding what personalities shall be derived from those predilections. Consider the following case, Hitler and Mother Theresa were both dominant Introverted Intuitive types. All that typology could say about this is that they both have a gift for creativity and this likely will manifest one way or the other in their lives. However, how exactly this will manifest has more to do with their extrinsic circumstances and non-typological biological predispositions than with their typological unconscious predispositions.

Typology is most useful in analysis of one's thought concerning abstract ideas. To be clear, typology does not explain why somebody processes abstract ideas the way that they do, but it may offer basic insight regarding one's unconscious tendencies.

For instance, if we have an Introverted Thinking philosopher or a scientist, many of his habits of mind are a result of his education and non-typological predispositions. However, what typology will have to say on this matter is as follows; he has a strong unconscious tendency towards dispassionate analysis. His education and his non-typological unconscious predispositions have only specified where this unconscious tendency would lead him. Or in other words, how he would use his Thinking function.

Hence, once this mathematician has been made aware that his strongest unconscious predispositions was towards logical analysis he perhaps may choose schools of thought that prefer an analytical method rather than a more intuitive method of inquiry into the field of his studies. This should work out for him simply because he is in closer natural affinity with the analytical way of thinking. On that note it is very notable ideas of philosophers and artists have often mirrored the ideas that their unconscious predispositions favored.

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In short, typology can evince our instincs towards particular ways of thinking. It is an important subject because unlike psychology, which is primarily concerned with empirical investigation of extrinsic circumstances surrounding the individual, it is concerned with the intrinsic cognitive faculties of the individual which are not as easily influenced by extrinsic circumstances. If one understands typology, one can attain a clear idea regarding the relationship between his unconscious predispositions and extrinsic circumstances and more important how to relate to extrinsic circumstances in a manner favorable to himself.

Because typology is concerned primarily with one's internal unconscious predispositions, it explores the way the human mind works on a very basic level. In short, it is a rudimentary inquiry into philosophy of mind.

One last distinction: The difference between philosophy of mind and psychology is primarily concerned with the intrinsic dispositions of the mind of the individual and psychology is concerned primarily with how the individual's mind relates to extrinsic circumstances. A philosopher of mind asks, with my mind in consideration as a thing in itself, how does it tend to function. For instance, if I were at a funeral and I have a tough-minded disposition, would I tend to be calm or anxious. Yet Pscyhology would say, our internal dispositions are not very important, we are chiefly concerned with how we will behave in this situation. A psychologist would maintain that we would be calm or anxious based more on our extrinsic circumstances rather than on our unconscious dispositions. Or quite simply, the psychologist is concerned primarily with how people behave, and not how they think. Typology is in the camp of philosophy of mind.

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The definition of psychology is an inquiry into the state of mind of the individual. Because academic psychology is focused very intensely on the extrinsic circumstances, or the output of one's internal mindset, or the aforementioned behavior it is in danger of failing to examine the source of such an output, or one's intrinsic dispositions. Such an examination requires an inquiry into philosophy of mind. As aforementioned, typology is one aspect of elementary philosophy of mind.

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Chiefly, our concern is not to study psychology as an end in itself, or quite simply ask the questions regarding how the mind of the individual tends to work for the sake of asking it. Our purpose is to have a coherent worldview. What we need is not only psychology, but philosophy of psychology. Philosophy is the endeavor to construct a coherent worldview. Philosophy of psychology is a study that is concerned with integrating psychology into our general worldview.

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Academic psychology alone does not suffice to answer the most important questions of philosophy of psychology for two reasons, it fails to acquire many important insights into the field because it refuses to thoroughly examine the intrinsic dispositions of one's mind, and it fails to examine how psychology could be integrated into one's quest to construct a coherent worldview.

Typology rectifies this problem in two regards; first, because it is rightly regarded as an elementary inquiry into philosophy of mind, it exhorts the psychologist to examine the intrinsic disposition's of the human mind and secondly because the method of typological inquiry is primarily philosophical, it encourages the psychologist to focus on the matters of philosophy of psychology.


Here's a question for you: what is the BEST way to really get to understand how people's minds work? Is it typology or something else?.
There is no need for distinction between typology and psychology, they are part of philosophy of psychology which is the main focus of our inquiry.


Personally, I think understanding people's fears and needs are the best way of piecing together behavioral and personality patterns.

That is exactly right. Philosophy of psychology synthesizes empirical investigation of human behavior (academic psychology) and the study of the internal dispositions within the mind of the individual (philosophy of mind).
 

THEANO

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oh, boy, reading the exchange between the last two posters is like watching someone speaking in French to someone who is unilingual in Cantonese
Entertaining (to a point) for the rest of us, but clearly must be frustrating for the Frenchman :)
 

Qre:us

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If we want to understand how the minds of people work, psychology is the field to study as it examines their thought and actions directly, or through empirical investigation.

This is not the aim of typology. Typology merely evinces the basic unconscious predilections, yet it has very little to comment on regarding what personalities shall be derived from those predilections. Consider the following case, Hitler and Mother Theresa were both dominant Introverted Intuitive types. All that typology could say about this is that they both have a gift for creativity and this likely will manifest one way or the other in their lives. However, how exactly this will manifest has more to do with their extrinsic circumstances and non-typological biological predispositions than with their typological unconscious predispositions.

But, there seems to be an inherent assumption with typology that although we cannot assign an observed behaviour to make a type falsifiable (e.g., of your Mama T & Addy H), it is, however, interestingly easy enough to use behaviour to verify a type. Why this skewness?

"I am right, and this example proves it so."
"I am still right regardless of this specific example proving it otherwise"

....ehhhhhhhhhhh?

It's like the impenetrable wall of the Virgin Mary.
 

Harmonic

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Sep 11, 2008
Messages
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INFP
In summary, it should be stated that the Introverted type, the Intuitive and the Thinking type are energized primarily through contemplation. The Extroverted type, Sensing and Feeling primarily through furtherance of passion.
How do Introversion and Intuition correspond with contemplation while Extroversion and Sensation correspond with passion?
 

redacted

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Joined
Nov 28, 2007
Messages
4,223
But, there seems to be an inherent assumption with typology that although we cannot assign an observed behaviour to make a type falsifiable (e.g., of your Mama T & Addy H), it is, however, interestingly easy enough to use behaviour to verify a type. Why this skewness?

"I am right, and this example proves it so."
"I am still right regardless of this specific example proving it otherwise"

....ehhhhhhhhhhh?

It's like the impenetrable wall of the Virgin Mary.

:nice:

@Blue -- why is intuition considered further from "the will" than sensing?
 
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