hi, Sy! I really liked your post, and some others, while reading this thread. I see you are an istj now. How come?
Si remembers sensory experiences and draws conclusions.
Ni takes information abstractly (not via the senses) and draws conclusions.
We all have memory. I think that just needs to be said.
Si doms seem to tie their memory to objects, and since people are objects to them, they have good memory of things they've witnessed people doing. Their perceiving function will have to run through F or T though, and both will flavor their memory storage and judging accordingly. SolitaryWalker talks all about this is in the type profiles in his book.
Ni doms seem to tie their memory to abstract ideas. My memory sucks when it comes to objective data, but I can recall entire feelings or concepts surrounding an event from the past, including how people reacted emotionally (Fe), and draw on that in the present for the present, or for the future.
Ni is about synthesizing information and creating a vision of the future.
Si is about synthesizing information and creating a vision of the past, a frame of reference for the future. Both impel one to realize goals and keep you focused.
Si is comparative, as is Ni, but Ni does it on an abstract level whereas Si does it on a concrete level.
Synthesizing means:
In general, the noun synthesis (from the ancient Greek σύνθεσις, σύν "with" and θέσις "placing") refers to the combining of two or more entities to form something new.
Ni gathers abstract concepts (think imagination on crack) and combines them with stored memories from experiences or truths already gleaned, to form new hypotheses. Since new ideas are, well,
new, and not tested, it lends a forward-leaning focus to Ni; hence the 'future' orientatation we all hear so much about in Ni-dom archetypes.
Si gathers concrete images and subjectifies them either through T or F, committing them to memory. Since objects do not change over time like abstract concepts, an Si dom's memory will appear more rigid or rooted in tradition than Ni; it would take a change in the physical universe to change Si's experiences. If the Si dom was an F judger, then perhaps they would appear more flexible than an Si dom who uses T, because facts will not change so much as people will. In this consideration, I don't see Si as synthesizing much; once it's perceptions are cemented in experience, little sythesis would need to occur, because things will basically remain status quo, at least for an STJ. And I'd guess that could happen as early as middle-childhood, because by then, the STJ would have had enough validation in his/her judgment function over time and repetition, that by adulthood, they could be fairly mentally steadfast individuals, if living in a healthy environment, etc.
Ni takes in information and melds it into a shape as does Si. Why do you think SJs are often conservative?
Si bases itself on the past and facts. If it's worked and is empirically based, then it's good enough to keep for the future.
Yes, because facts don't change much (STJ). People change more (SFJ), but even people exhibit the same patterns over time, hence the fields of psychology and pyschotherpay and psychiatry.
Ni bases itself on symbolic concepts since it gathers it's information abstractly and thus is focused on the facts' patterns rather than the actual facts. So it theorizes of what might be the best approach in the future based on such perceived patterns.
So, I think Ni and Si are similar in some regards and vastly different in others. Personally, I feel like Ni is much closer to Ne than Si, because to change attitudes is much easier than to change preferences. But I am very N. Some people who have perceiving and judging divides that are close, might very likely be more comfortable with going between preferences, not attitudes, like Ni and Si, in a InTJ who tests 55/45 N/S. They would likely do better with Si than Ne, but that's just my own hypothesis of course.
I think it's worth noting that STJs that I know, seem to have little patience with dreaming; they are more perfunctory. Because what is there to dream about? The universe is constant, mathematical laws are unchanging, and things are the way they are. If facts change, then great, things might be able to change up a bit, but otherwise, it's just about capitalizing on what you already know to be true.
Ni is always seeking out new truths and new discoveries; dreaming. How able you are to do this depends on whether you are T or F; hindered by factual proof, or not.
VagrantFarce says:
OK, so I'm pretty sure both Si and Ni are about anticipating things before they happen, whereas Ne and Se are about reacting to things while they happen. So both Si and Ni draw on the past, and both Si and Ni predict the future - but they don't share the same focus.
I don't feel like I anticipate though. The thrust of my Ni is to SEE.
See the truth,
see a better way,
see the motivation. That is why I will exit a debate if my Ti is not able to keep up with a Ti dom/aux, and it is not allowing my Ti to keep up. Because I cannot allow my vision to be occluded in any way, shape, or form. It's like having someone put a hand up to my eyes when i am trying to see something in the distance. It's extremely annoying. haha. Ni is not necessarily about anticipate. Anticipation implies a bit of doing something. And my Ni is not doing anything but trying to SEE.
I'd say Si's thrust is to recall. Recall experiences so that they can judge whether or not this is indeed a rare piece of new data that needs to be added to the databank, or if it has, as is usual, already been defined.