Edgar Morin's theory of complex thought

Each person has their own vision of the facts, as well as being influenced and, why not say it, indoctrinated by the principles in which, unconsciously, your educational center, your social group or family have taught you immersed.

The moral It is something that varies a lot depending on where you were born, but the truth is that, with the development of the society as we know it today, it seems that local morality is no longer something as solid and valid as yesteryear.

Within the philosophy of edgar morin the idea of ​​opting for a more holistic vision of the facts is proposed, both in terms of scientific knowledge and of ethical-moral perception, and understanding that more than differentiated cultures, we are part of a huge planetary culture.

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Within his theory of complex thought, he tries to explain how this vision should be promoted, and this article is focused on trying to explain his proposal in greater detail.

Theory of complex thought: what is it?

The notion of complex thought was coined by the French philosopher and sociologist of Sephardic origin Edgar Morin., born Edgar Nahum.

This idea refers to the ability to connect different dimensions of reality, which has been characterized by acquiring more and more components, as humanity has progressed and evolving. Reality could be compared to a tissue, made up of multiple tissues and, therefore, something really complex.

The greater the complexity, the more details about the society in which one lives must be taken into account. The person should not think reducing what he is experiencing, nor should he opt for a position based on one or a few facts. Thus, due to the characteristics of today's society, it is necessary that the person, in order to have a well-founded opinion, carefully reflect on the information he receives. This reflective capacity is what Morin called complex thinking..

Complex thought is, in essence, a strategy that has the intention of globalizing, that is, it tries to encompass all the phenomena of which one is present, but taking into account their particularities as different events that are. This concept is totally contrary to simplifying thought, which unifies all knowledge to a single vision, nullifying the possible diversity that exists and directing the person, be it a student or the teacher himself, to an 'intelligence blind'.

The term complexity, within Edgar Morin's thought, can be represented as a kind of great network, whose thin threads intertwine and relate its components. The threads are events, actions, interactions, retroactions, determinations, chances that make up the world.

Complex thought attends to issues, both deep and banal, such as concern about where it is going the human species, the social problems that arise every decade and how these can be solved with an adequate education.

Complex thought is not something innate. It must be educated in it and promote its application. The philosopher specialized in pedagogy Matthew Lipman was of the opinion that it was extremely necessary to inculcate this type of thinking in children already at an early age. Complex thought has the remarkable characteristic of not accepting a fact as something emphatic and undoubtedly credible, but to promote the search for other options, explore and see to what extent what is perceived is true or No.

The seven basic knowledge for the education of the future

Edgar Morin believes that education should be aimed at encouraging reflection in his students. Pupils should not accept facts as indubitably true, but should search, as if authentically made use of the scientific method, possible alternative explanations to knowledge learned.

Thus, in 1999, Morin proposed the seven basic knowledge or principles for the education of the future, which were published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. According to this philosopher, every society, regardless of its culture, should try to promote this knowledge in its population.

1. Cure the blindness of knowledge

All knowledge carries with it a risk of error, which can be greater or lesser. As has always happened with science, there are data that at a historical moment are taken as a truth and, after being investigated again, are refuted.

Knowledge is something that evolves and, therefore, can be very relative and fragile. That is why students must be taught that what they are learning is something that can accept changes over time, and that they are not absolute truths.

Thus, one must be critical of one's own knowledge.

2. Ensure relevant knowledge

This principle, especially important in the era of new technologies, refers to the importance of knowing how to conscientiously select the bombardment of data and information that we receive.

It must be detected which is the truthful information, with expert opinion behind it. It is also important to understand what real problems are and what type of information is appropriate to be able to solve them.

General intelligence is based on the knowledge that is accepted by the population, and also by the criticism that is made to them.

3. Teaching the human condition

The human species is divided into ethnic groups, religions, languages, countries, nations... That is why It is very important to understand that, although there are differences, all people are part of the same humanity..

One must know how to appreciate cultural diversity and not try to homogenize humanity, but also understand that everyone has the same rights and obligations.

People should be contextualized based on the situation they have had to live, not as something undoubtedly inseparable from them.

4. Teaching Earthly Identity

Related to the previous point, it should be understood that thousands of years of human history have witnessed how What at first must have been the same ethnic group, a pristine culture, gradually expanded and fragmented into many others.

However, thanks to the appearance of technology, either through intercontinental transport or through networks computers, it is possible to establish contact very easily with people from cultures radically different from that of one.

It is necessary to understand that the development of humanity must be promoted not only in economic terms, but also, and thanks to the appearance of the aforementioned technologies, promote intellectual, affective and moral development worldwide.

National, regional and local identities are fine, but the identity that unites all people, as citizens of the Earth and, therefore, members of a megaculture earthly.

5. face uncertainties

Uncertainty, in itself, does not have to be a good thing or a bad thing. Students must be taught that history will always face a situation of uncertainty, in which the next phase may imply a breakthrough or, conversely, a real catastrophe.

History, like biological evolution, is not linear. You move forward by detours and shortcuts, which can make great progress one moment and feel like you're back to square one the next.

Chance and lack of control of the entire system is something undoubtedly typical of the human condition.

This, in turn, is applicable to knowledge, which can also be uncertain. It may be that what has been discovered is not really as true as it was believed when data appears to refute it.

6. teach comprehension

Understanding should be fostered both within the group itself (ingroup) and in relation to people from different groups, be it in cultural, linguistic, religious or any other kind of terms.

It is very important to understand that understanding and communication are not synonymous. Although there are new technologies that facilitate contact between very different people, this does not mean that the ethical codes present in each culture have been exceeded, or that those of the other group are understood ethnic.

One's moral values ​​can be an obstacle when it comes to putting yourself in another person's shoes. The great enemies of understanding, according to Edgar Morin, are egoism, ethnocentrism and sociocentrism.

Teaching comprehension means teaching not to reduce the human being to one or several of his qualities, since, really, these are multiple and complex.

7. The ethics of the human race

An ethic must be promoted not only in individual terms, that is, that each person has a respectful moral towards others, but that the idea that the group to which one belongs behaves morally when establishing contact with others is also encouraged.

In addition, the creation and teaching of an ethic valid for the entire human race should be encouraged, something like the equivalence of human rights but in terms of moral obligations.

It is understood, based on Morin's vision, that the maximum exponent of this principle is to make democracy something common in all countries of the world.

This democracy should not be synonymous with the dictatorship of the majority, but should constitute as a form of government in which, although some will have a greater voice, the multiple opinions of their citizenship.