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with some dictatorial flavor, usually of the form “Thou shalt not...”It is
clear that everything I said tonight not only contradicts, but even refutes,
such views. The three columns, autonomy, responsibility, choice, on which
my position rests, are pointing in the opposite direction.
What would be my counter-proposal? Let me conclude my presentation
with a proposition that may well serve as a Constructivist Ethical Impera-
tive: “I shall act always so as to increase the total number of choices.”
Discussion
PAUL WATZLAWICK [STANFORD]. Heinz, would you say that, in addition to
what you call the “ethical imperative,” there is still a further conclusion to
be drawn, and that is that if you realize that you are the constructor of your
own reality, you are then also free, and so the question of freedom enters,
so there is a deontic quality to what you were saying?
VON FOERSTER. My response is: Yes, precisely.
KARL H. PRIBRAM [STANFORD MEDICAL SCHOOL]. Heinz, I agree with
everything you said, and with what Francisco says, but I have a problem.
And that problem is, given the kind of framework you have just “invented”
for us, and which I like very much, why is it that when I go into the labo-
ratory, something happens that surprises me? When I know how things are
supposed to go, and they don't.
VON FOERSTER. You are a very inventive character—you even invent your
surprises. For instance, when I was talking about the two containers that
are brought together and said that a most surprising thing is taking place,
namely, that the hot one is getting cooler, and the cool one getting hotter,
I felt that apparently this was seen as a joke—of course, everybody knows
that, so what? But my hope was that you would try to see this phenome-
non as if for the first time, as something new, something fascinating. Let me
illustrate this point. I don't know whether you remember Castaneda and
his teacher, Don Juan. Castaneda wants to learn about things that go on in
the immense expanses of the Mexican chaparral. Don Juan says, “You see
this . . .?” and Castaneda says “What? I don't see anything.” Next time, Don
Juan says, “Look here!” Castaneda looks, and says, “I don't see a thing.”
Don Juan gets desperate, because he wants really to teach him how to see.
Finally, Don Juan has a solution. “I see now what your problem is. You can
only see things that you can explain. Forget about explanations, and you
will see.” You were surprised because you abandoned your preoccupation
with explanations. Therefore, you could see. I hope you will continue to be
surprised.
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