Holistic Observation
Date/Time: Wednesday, 8 June 2005, 12.00 – 1.15
Workshop Leader: Jan Martin Bang, Norway
- Address: Jan Martin Bang, Solborg, 3520 Jefnaker, Norway Tel: 0047 4812 9653 Fax: 0047 3213 2020
Email: jmbang@start.no
Notes on the Process:
Talk / lecture / slide show / discussion / participatory - give details: 75 min workshop: initial talk/introduction of principle & structure of holistic observation, then group work & feedback & a final discussion Handout available on e-mail request from Jan
Overview
I would like to introduce the goethean Scientific Phenomenological Process and show how Goethe’s work provides a philosophical and scientific background to some of the basic permaculture principles.
Summary
Concept of holistic observation arises from Goethian science & Goethian observation as opposed to Cartesian/reductionist science/observational model. There are 5 steps: Pick something to observe, an object/concept/process your 1st impression, “snap”, make a quick note – a word, feeling, association, poem or similar. Your sense of it initially physical observation or attributes, measurements, colour, texture. Describe these attributes. the object/concept/process’s context. Its interactions with the world. This can link to time, lifecycles etc and can include changes/transformations etc that you see or that will happen. Distil down a description of the object based on steps 1-3. end further distil down your description of the object to a “last impression” – the essence of what it is at the end of the process.
Key Points
- Permaculture is good at planning, designing, technique implementation, but hasn’t looked at how we observe the world in as much detail.
- Permaculture needs a new, conscious, holistic observational methodology. Goethian/Holistic observation can fill this role.
- It combines quantitative with qualitative, analytical with intuitive.
It doesn’t just analyse & measure, but encompasses context, processes, relationships & lifecycles.
Through this method we can change & train ourselves.
- The observe is part of the process, the observer and the observed are not independent, but are linked. Each affects the other and each other’s context.
[Scribe: Andy Polkey]