| Leon James | Department of Psychology | University of Hawaii | 1975 |
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The line is a geometric figure that connects two anchor points. The second level of relationship is defined as a triangle, which connects three anchor points. The selection of this third anchor point is not subjective or arbitrary. A standardized, evocative method, called "The method of triangular resolution," is used. In practice, the investigator considers the two anchor points and selects (either spontaneously or with the aid of a lexicon, see below) a third anchor point which represents the dialectic resolution of a contention point that is specifically implied by the line relating the two anchor points. For instance the relationship established by connecting the line Good to Bad permits the following four standardized resolutions:
In this illustration, the four resolutions are evoked by four different ES coordinates, each corresponding to a separate specific contention point. The four contention points from (a) to (d) are
(a) Good and Bad are opposites.
(b) Good and Bad are evaluations.
(c) Good and Bad involve comparison
Note that the investigator may have a number of alternative expressions that specify a resolution. Thus, for (a) ANTONYMS for (b) JUDGMENT, CRITICISM, for (c) CONTRAST, REFERENCE STANDARD, and for (d) RELATION, ASSOCIATION. For this reason, it is best to think of a resolution as a class of anchor points related to each other by virtue of achieving a resolution to the same contention point. In practice, the investigator selects one term to label the class as a whole. The question of which contention point to select in any particular instance is a practical one and practice and judiciousness are, of course, time savers. Theoretically, all contention points uncovered may be followed up separately. Later, rationales will be given for the selection of contention points that are motivated by practical considerations and specialized interests.
At this point, note that the classification schemes allowable solely by the method of triangular resolution,are not sufficient to allow a mechanical procedure for their generation. Thus, a very large number of anchor points,can be connected by a line, two at a time, and second level relationship can be generate by the method of triangular resolution. One would then be able to classify the entire lexicon of a language into so many separate triads of anchor points. A reduction of noise in the system is thus effected, with a three-fold increase in organzation. No further systematic increase in organization is easily forseeable after that, the problem being essentially the same as that which plagues the methods used thus far. What's needed, then, is a notation system that would allow the investigator to continue to iteratethe mechanical procedure of resolving contention points, until all the words in the lexicon are exhausted, thus yielding a complete classification of the words in the language. Such an exhaustive iterative process is derivable through the geometric notation system by going to the next two levels of relationship: the quadrangle and the cube.
The third level of relationship is defined geometrically as the quadrangle, which connects four anchor points, as follows:
In this illustration, the four anchor points shown connected as a quadrangle, are selected pragmatically with a view to showing the potential clarifying property of classifications of events produced by means of a routinized reiterative procedure .*
Such an application of the method is called "probe." Thus, the above illustration represents an ES probe (ESP) into what is standardized know-ledge on the Watergate Incident.
Note that in the quadrangular arrangement, there are six lines connecting the four anchor points. These are identified by the capital letterings
(A,B,C,D,E,F).
* Later it will be shown how this property can be used to contrast participants' knowledge of an event or area. Such contrasts, using a target reference grid of alternative solutions, can be used to measure an individual's understanding of an area or event.
This illustration provides three alternative resolutions to each pair of anchor concepts. This is to show that the notation system used in an ES probe will exhaust the relevant lexicon independently of the resoltuions selected at particular places.
To Chapter 3: Dialectics of Ethnosemantics (Part 8):