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Created page with "====Form versus substance in a nutshell==== Form is the map; substance the territory. Form is simplified, rationalised, modularised: it establishes through followable rules, a safe passage through the incomprehensible thickness of the jungle. It ''tries'' to reduces ''complexity'' to ''complication'' by prescribing fixed rules and procedures which maybe followed even by those with no particular experience or expertise of the territory. The only..."
 
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====Form versus substance in a nutshell====
====Form versus substance in a nutshell====
Form is the [[Map|map]]; substance the [[Territory|territory]]. Form is simplified, rationalised, modularised: it establishes through followable rules, a safe passage through the incomprehensible thickness of the jungle. It ''tries'' to reduces ''complexity'' to ''complication'' by prescribing fixed rules and procedures which maybe followed even by those with no particular experience or expertise of the [[territory]]. The only judgment made of one in a formal system is, ''did you faithfully follow the rules?''
Form is the [[Map|map]]: simplified, rationalised, modularised: it establishes through followable rules, a safe passage through the incomprehensible thickness of the jungle. It ''tries'' to reduces ''complexity'' to ''complication'' by prescribing fixed rules and procedures which maybe followed even by those with no particular experience or expertise of the [[territory]]. The only judgment made of one in a formal system is, ''did you faithfully follow the rules?''


Substance
Substance is the [[Territory|territory]]: the fractal, inchoate, interdeterminate, dancing, organic mass of messiness in which we are consigned to play our mortal games. Unless you have a map, there is only one way to navigate the territory: by ''knowing'' it. Someone who knows the territory — an ''[[Subject matter expert|expert]]'' — doesn’t need maps, and is liable to be frustrated by people who insist on using them for simple journeys.


The modern world is blighted by the comforting embrace of [[Tick box exercise|tickable boxes]], checkable [[Checklist|checklists]], and [[Internal audit|auditable trails]], all of which give their comfort by taking the ''easy'' road: rather than evaluate the ''qualities'' of your organisation, tally up its countable dimensions, however superficial they are.
For the inexpert, maps, [[Tick box exercise|tickable boxes]], checkable [[Checklist|checklists]], and [[Internal audit|auditable trails]], give them comfort that they are safe from harm. They take the ''easy'' road: rather than evaluate the ''qualities'' of their environment, they tally up its countable dimensions and proceed on that limited account.
 
There is a logic to this: the power of [[big data]] is their emergent properties: you can extract from a mass of data qualities you can’t see from individual instances. That one kettle goes on at 4:30 in the afternoon signifies nothing in particular; that fourteen million do tells you it’s half time in the football.
 
This is a [[correlation]], though, not [[causation]], and it won’t flow the other way. Just because you put the kettle on at 4:30 doesn’t mean you were watching the football, however likely it might seem. Probability is an ''is'', not an ''ought''.
 
''Hume'': you cannot derive an “ought” from an “is”.
 
''The [[JC]]'': you cannot derive an “is” from an “ought”.

Revision as of 10:03, 1 September 2023

Form versus substance in a nutshell

Form is the map: simplified, rationalised, modularised: it establishes through followable rules, a safe passage through the incomprehensible thickness of the jungle. It tries to reduces complexity to complication by prescribing fixed rules and procedures which maybe followed even by those with no particular experience or expertise of the territory. The only judgment made of one in a formal system is, did you faithfully follow the rules?

Substance is the territory: the fractal, inchoate, interdeterminate, dancing, organic mass of messiness in which we are consigned to play our mortal games. Unless you have a map, there is only one way to navigate the territory: by knowing it. Someone who knows the territory — an expert — doesn’t need maps, and is liable to be frustrated by people who insist on using them for simple journeys.

For the inexpert, maps, tickable boxes, checkable checklists, and auditable trails, give them comfort that they are safe from harm. They take the easy road: rather than evaluate the qualities of their environment, they tally up its countable dimensions and proceed on that limited account.

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