Inferior Fe vs. Fi

[Coriolis]

No, this logic is not correct. I do not believe that functions can merge and look like another function. That just simply shows poor understanding of the functions and identifying them as such.
I am not sure what you mean by a "point". Your information was incorrect and the way you presented the information seemed to support a certain bias of how you see yourself which is not necessarily correct either.

Functions don't actually look like anything, because we cannot observe them directly. We can observe only behavior. At the same time, no function operates in a vacuum. A person's functions operate together, in various strengths and proportions, influencing how they see the world, make decisions, and act/interact.

What does happen is that very different functions can result in very similar behavior. Someone strongly influenced by Fe, for instance, can be polite and courteous because he genuinely cares about not hurting the other person's feelings. Fi might lead to politeness out of a personal desire to maintain peace and harmony. Te, on the other hand, might lead someone to be polite because that will engender more cooperation from the other person. I have often called the scripts Te dom/aux learn and use to navigate social situations "ersatz Fe" for this reason, though that is a crude oversimplification.

 

[Entropic]

Functions don't actually look like anything, because we cannot observe them directly. We can observe only behavior. At the same time, no function operates in a vacuum. A person's functions operate together, in various strengths and proportions, influencing how they see the world, make decisions, and act/interact.

What does happen is that very different functions can result in very similar behavior. Someone strongly influenced by Fe, for instance, can be polite and courteous because he genuinely cares about not hurting the other person's feelings. Fi might lead to politeness out of a personal desire to maintain peace and harmony. Te, on the other hand, might lead someone to be polite because that will engender more cooperation from the other person. I have often called the scripts Te dom/aux learn and use to navigate social situations "ersatz Fe" for this reason, though that is a crude oversimplification.

I am not sure I fully agree with your first assertion about "looking at functions" since I never quite asserted such a position to my knowledge, nor do I entirely see how we in fact disagree at all. When I say "look", I do not mean so much "look" as in something we can tangibly see and I am surprised I should even have to explain this you since I see you type yourself as Ni dominant, rather, what what I am really am getting at is that we can observe function output in people's reasoning as you yourself in fact provide examples of.

 

[Coriolis]

You wrote:

I do not believe that functions can merge and look like another function.

I agree with this from a theoretical perspective, but we were discussing the observable effects of functions. In such a context the statement is meaningless, precisely because we cannot observe functions directly, as we both agree. I am therefore not so much taking issue with your conclusions, as wanting to keep clear the distinction between functions and behavior, the real nature of what we can directly observe, and the limitations of the conclusions we can then draw. This forum is littered with cavalier treatments of functional analysis, and simplistic shorthand notation like "that action is really Fe!" It is not worth nitpicking this most of the time, but when we are attempting to delve into the nuts and bolts of how functions really work and how we can analyze their effects, greater precision is desirable. (I am surprised I have to explain this to you, since you type yourself as a Ti-dominant.*)

*Same explanation as on women/autism thread.

 

[RosieJones]

What it seems like, is that the inferior will be what the feelings of hurt will come through, and then the reaction will be its "shadow" (the opposite attitude), which could be the "Demonic Personality", or the "Crow's Nest" (right/left brain alternative) depending on the version of theory. According to Jung, functions work in sort of "loops" between attitudes, anyway, starting from the primary attitude, flowing to the opposite, and then returning to the primary. (i.e. going back and forth between "subject" and "object").
I've experienced what [MENTION=9214]KDude[/MENTION] described, and it was interpreted as "Fi", and you can see it that way, but it really stemmed from inferior Fe.

Inferior Fi (such as the people I've dealt with, including one claiming to be another type), seems to be insulted by people seen as crossing some line connected with an internal value (such as invading their "turf" or something), and you can't tell they're upset, but then they begin snarking at you, and finally unleash Fe-like attacks against your standing in the group. ("destructive" archetype).
This is what I keep pointing out about figures like Hitler. Everyone looks at him, and sees him "using" all this "Fe", but it's how it's coming across that is a clue as to where it falls.

Pretty sure Hitler Was an INFJ though.

 

[Punderstorm]

I think inferior Fe is more visible than inferior Fi. Inferior Fe has more to do with expressing emotions in general and external values, whereas Fi would have more to do with internal values and regulating emotions.