January 29th
Words and Working Definitions
Here, briefly, are some of the words we discussed in class.
Awareness
The set of things which we are, or may potentially, be able to name as existing. By “things,” I am quick to clarify, I include emotions, concepts, and thoughts, which are not material “things.” For example, I may be “aware” of impending danger. To be aware of something does not make it exist outside of my mind. At the same time, its failure to exist for others does not prevent or negate the validity of my awareness. Awareness is information.
Attention
The action of choosing to direct and focus on some subset of awareness. We can think of attention as a verb in relation to awareness as a noun. That is, attention is an action, performed towards the set of information that comprises awareness. Princeton psychologist and neuroscientist Michael Graziano writes, “[Attention] is procedural. It is something that brain does, not something the brain knows.” Attention adds awareness to awareness. Attention directs electro-chemical energy, boosting the signal strength associated to the object of attention.
Compassion
Suffering with another.
Conscience
A persistent feeling of uneasiness that is hard to describe. This word is used when the feeling seems to be triggered by one’s own actions or thoughts. However, it is similar to the feeling of uneasiness one sometimes gets when involved with a person or society whose values are not in alignment with long-term sustainable flow of life.
Consciousness
The subject of a lot of debate. Is it something that takes place in the brain? Or the body and the brain? Or more cosmically than we have yet been able to uncover? There seems to be consensus that it has to do with our awareness of our awareness.
Empathy
Intention to connect with “the other”. See working definition of "intention" below.
In his article "Hot to Help," Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence, refers to Paul Ekman's distinction between different kinds of empathy:
Flow:
Movement over time in a direction. Also, a state of being in which one seems to lose track of time and self-awareness through pleasantly challenging absorption in an activity. The former has been used to describe a universal structural law of evolution, The Constructal Law identified by Duke University Professor Adrian Bejan. The latter definition of "Flow" was coined by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.
Habit
That which is done so frequently that the activity tends to fade from conscious awareness. A simple example is how using the turn signal when learning to drive takes conscious awareness. After some time, the thought of turning is enough to trigger the activation of the signal with no conscious awareness required. A more extreme example may be something you have experienced: When driving a daily route, have you ever found that you have reached your destination without being aware of the drive itself?
Insight
A clarity, usually come upon suddenly, that brings together previously unconnected ideas into a new meaningful arrangement.
Instinct
Generally associated with a kind of knowledge that does not use consciousness or reason.
Intention
What we think we want to do; and what we really want to do. These are often not the same. One life challenge is to get these two things in alignment. We are “strangers to ourselves.”
Intuition
The immediate recognition in real world situations of a learned pattern that relates events that are not close in space and time in a dynamic cause and effect interaction.
Values
What is most important to us; and what we think is most important to us. Again, what we think is most important to us may not be reflected in our thoughts and actions. Our thoughts and actions give clues about what is operationally most important to us. A life goal would be to align our subconscious values and desires with what we want them to be. This takes a life-time, because as Aristotle said, “A person becomes just by doing just acts.” Until you start living what you think your values are, you can’t know if they are the values you really want or not. For the person practicing awareness, ease of "conscience" (see above) is a signal of being on the right track.
Here, briefly, are some of the words we discussed in class.
Awareness
The set of things which we are, or may potentially, be able to name as existing. By “things,” I am quick to clarify, I include emotions, concepts, and thoughts, which are not material “things.” For example, I may be “aware” of impending danger. To be aware of something does not make it exist outside of my mind. At the same time, its failure to exist for others does not prevent or negate the validity of my awareness. Awareness is information.
Attention
The action of choosing to direct and focus on some subset of awareness. We can think of attention as a verb in relation to awareness as a noun. That is, attention is an action, performed towards the set of information that comprises awareness. Princeton psychologist and neuroscientist Michael Graziano writes, “[Attention] is procedural. It is something that brain does, not something the brain knows.” Attention adds awareness to awareness. Attention directs electro-chemical energy, boosting the signal strength associated to the object of attention.
Compassion
Suffering with another.
Conscience
A persistent feeling of uneasiness that is hard to describe. This word is used when the feeling seems to be triggered by one’s own actions or thoughts. However, it is similar to the feeling of uneasiness one sometimes gets when involved with a person or society whose values are not in alignment with long-term sustainable flow of life.
Consciousness
The subject of a lot of debate. Is it something that takes place in the brain? Or the body and the brain? Or more cosmically than we have yet been able to uncover? There seems to be consensus that it has to do with our awareness of our awareness.
Empathy
Intention to connect with “the other”. See working definition of "intention" below.
In his article "Hot to Help," Daniel Goleman, author of Emotional Intelligence, refers to Paul Ekman's distinction between different kinds of empathy:
- Cognitive Empathy – with your intellect only
- Emotional Empathy – with your emotions
- Compassionate Empathy – with emotions and action
Flow:
Movement over time in a direction. Also, a state of being in which one seems to lose track of time and self-awareness through pleasantly challenging absorption in an activity. The former has been used to describe a universal structural law of evolution, The Constructal Law identified by Duke University Professor Adrian Bejan. The latter definition of "Flow" was coined by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.
Habit
That which is done so frequently that the activity tends to fade from conscious awareness. A simple example is how using the turn signal when learning to drive takes conscious awareness. After some time, the thought of turning is enough to trigger the activation of the signal with no conscious awareness required. A more extreme example may be something you have experienced: When driving a daily route, have you ever found that you have reached your destination without being aware of the drive itself?
Insight
A clarity, usually come upon suddenly, that brings together previously unconnected ideas into a new meaningful arrangement.
Instinct
Generally associated with a kind of knowledge that does not use consciousness or reason.
Intention
What we think we want to do; and what we really want to do. These are often not the same. One life challenge is to get these two things in alignment. We are “strangers to ourselves.”
Intuition
The immediate recognition in real world situations of a learned pattern that relates events that are not close in space and time in a dynamic cause and effect interaction.
Values
What is most important to us; and what we think is most important to us. Again, what we think is most important to us may not be reflected in our thoughts and actions. Our thoughts and actions give clues about what is operationally most important to us. A life goal would be to align our subconscious values and desires with what we want them to be. This takes a life-time, because as Aristotle said, “A person becomes just by doing just acts.” Until you start living what you think your values are, you can’t know if they are the values you really want or not. For the person practicing awareness, ease of "conscience" (see above) is a signal of being on the right track.
