Substance and form: Difference between revisions
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The existential dilemma — the {{tag|paradox}} — of form and substance was first adverted to in [[Otto Büchstein]]’s now largely forgotten tragicomic opera ''[[La Vittoria della Forma sulla Sostanza]]'' (often performed, if performed at all, in German, as ''[[Die Eroberung der Form durch Substanz]]''). | {{g}}The existential dilemma — the {{tag|paradox}} — of form and substance was first adverted to in [[Otto Büchstein]]’s now largely forgotten tragicomic opera ''[[La Vittoria della Forma sulla Sostanza]]'' (often performed, if performed at all, in German, as ''[[Die Eroberung der Form durch Substanz]]''). | ||
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. | |||
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. | 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 | 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”. | ''Hume'': you cannot derive an “ought” from an “is”. | ||
The [[JC]]: you cannot derive an “is” from an “ought”. | ''The [[JC]]'': you cannot derive an “is” from an “ought”. | ||
{{Tabletop}} | {{Tabletop}} | ||
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*Closely related to the [[technology paradox]] | *Closely related to the [[technology paradox]] | ||
*[[Policy]] | *[[Policy]] | ||
*[[Root cause analysis]] | *[[Root cause analysis]] | ||
Revision as of 16:14, 8 September 2020
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The existential dilemma — the paradox — of form and substance was first adverted to in Otto Büchstein’s now largely forgotten tragicomic opera La Vittoria della Forma sulla Sostanza (often performed, if performed at all, in German, as Die Eroberung der Form durch Substanz).
The modern world is blighted by the comforting embrace of tickable boxes, checkable checklists, and 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.
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”.
| Substance | Form |
| Lord Denning | The doctrine of precedent |
| Heuristics | Algorithms |
| Structuring | internal audit |
| Legal | Compliance |
| Anything fun or interesting in the world | HR, COO, Management consultant, middle management |
See also
- Closely related to the technology paradox
- Policy
- Root cause analysis