ThisTTh
This is a way of involving ourselves with strangers. It is a special loving connection that involves us in a reality which transcends the world in which we normally exist. Simply it works like this: I engage a stranger, I give them unbroken focus on their world, they experience increased clarity, this clarity feeds back to me and so back to them, we experience an enhanced level of reality because of love
Here you will find some thoughts behind Connectionism, a description of the process and how it works, and some practical pointers should you decide to give it a try.
The term ‘Connectionism’ is commonly used in connection to the activation, function and process of neural networks which has application to our understanding of artificial intelligence. Its roots lie in the thoughts of nineteenth century thinkers such as William James, Herbert Spencer and Sigmund Freud who all put forward connectionist principles. It later became understood as ‘Parallel distributed processing’ (PDP). My use of the term has something in common with this way of thinking but interprets it in the form of relationships, associations and links between persons and their ideas.
I had for some time been concerned about the opposing qualities involved in philosophical counselling: the great value of the close relationship involved opposed by the idea that this was in some way a service provided by one for another and that this service should be charged for. I called Philosophical Counselling that was charged for ‘U-Philosophical Counselling’ (‘Utilitarian-Philosophical Counselling’), and the relationship involved which could occur without charge ‘NU-Philosophical Counselling’ (‘Non-utilitarian-Philosophical Counselling’). I still hold strongly to the view that Philosophical Counselling should be free (a full description of this view can be found in my essay in Practical Philosophy, ‘Dare to be wise’: ‘Exchanging the word’—a new philosophical practice’ (June 2008, 9:2, 21-44). This group of reflections shows how my views on this developed.
Will the real Philosophical Counsellor stand up?
Some inspirations for Philosophical Counsellors and companions
My idea of 'Exchanging the Word' was born of conversations and interactions with strangers. Over a period of time I came to see that these meetings were more important than at first they seemed -- chance meetings that brought about a sense of clarity and enlightenment gradually became less believable as a coincidence. I came to understand these meetings a something so important that I went out of my way to bring them about, to see when they did or did not produce anything, to work out who benefited, and to analyze how it worked. My entries here are a record of my thoughts as I have worked through this process from its early beginnings to what I now consider the most important philosophical position that we can hold in our lives as practical philosophers -- a position that brings us close to others in a way which increases clarity and offers the potential for increased wisdom for all involved.
The formulation and development of the concept has evolved over a period of time. The early references to ‘Preaching’, ‘Exchanging the Word’ and the “Word’ finally gave way to the whole concept of ‘Connectionism’. I realised through practice that what was happening between individuals in this setting was far more a connection than an exchange: a connection for me meaning a mutual joining, whereas an exchange means a more discrete or objective transfer. The thoughts here also accentuate the value of reflective practice as it is by this means that the idea of Connectionism has been born. Some of these reflections are very brief.
This batch of reflections lead us from the initial idea to a consolidated view of the main elements involved:
The idea dawns—‘Preaching the Word’
Preaching the Word—how does it fit into the philosophical scheme of things?
The importance of the Word. Why the Word? Is it preached or exchanged?
Exchanging the Word—‘Going Through’ Philosophy
Exchanging the word—a definition
Focus: thinking the world, the Word, and objects
Exchanging the Word—a means of eradicating confusions within us
Exchanging the Word—the mission
Exchanging the Word—the method and practice
Exchanging the Word—the setting
Love, strangers and estrangement
Exchanging the Word and Socrates
For a brief period, I kept a diary of some of my experiences of Exchanging the word. I felt it would be useful to try and provide some empirical evidence for what was going on. At this time I was interested in attributing success or otherwise to these meetings (a need I no longer feel necessary).
Personal diary of Exchanging the Word
With the essential ingredients in place, a reduction in the importance of the Word, and with experience of the practice and how closely love is involved my thinking led me to defining Exchanging the Word in a way that made it part of something more meaningful than simply ‘meetings with strangers’.
Some meetings with strangers-video
I had at last realised that this communion with others reflected something within us that was connected to a reality beyond us. I came to call this that which was ‘beyond within’ and quickly realised that it was a fundamental part of my metaphysical understanding of the world.
Exchanging the Word—contact with reality ‘beyond within’
In the end, or at least at the moment, I have a fully realised view of what Connectionism is and how it can be experienced and recognise that this fuller view fits into a metaphysical scheme—my ‘practical metaphysics’.
A reflection on feelings when a chance to engage with a stranger has been missed can be found here.
An account of meeting The Man with The Rolled-up Cigarette can be found here.
