The Unicist Research Institute


Press Release: The Presentation on Unicist Reflection Driven Education to Manage the Know-How and Know-Why of Business Processes

The research on human adaptive learning, developed at The Unicist Research Institute, led to the finding of four structural stages that deal with the learning of the management of adaptive environments and the management of the root causes in these environments.

The learning process of the know-why of things and its integration with the know-how is necessary to learn to manage adaptive systems that are continuously adapting to the feedback from the environment.

It required developing an educational model that allows learning the use of functionalist principles to manage the know-why and unicist binary actions to manage the know-how. This model required the development of Teaching Hospitals in Business where the participants develop solutions while they learn to manage the know-why and the know-how of things based on a reflection-driven learning technology.

The four structural stages are:

Stage 1 – Finding Homological Benchmarks – Learning WHAT FOR

This stage drives the definition of what has to be produced. It needs to be a solution for third parties. To begin the process, the participants need to find in their minds the concepts of other experiences they had to work as homological benchmarks. A learning process on the functionality of adaptive environments can only begin if the learner has a homological benchmark in mind.

Stage 2 – Learning the Functionalist Principles and the Fundamentals define WHAT needs to be achieved.

The relevant aspects of a given reality are defined by the functionalist principles and fundamentals that underlie it. The learning process of the functionalist principles and their fundamentals is given by the use of learning objects that allow understanding the unified field of an adaptive system. The goal of these objects is to provide the functionalist principles and the fundamentals of the specific relevant aspects of reality.

Stage 3 – Developing solutions and Pilot Tests – Learning the HOW of things.

The pilot tests are real applications in the specific action field that is being learned or in homologous fields when the full real application is too risky. Pilot tests allow learning HOW the knowledge works and is transformed into actions. The recycling process of the pilot tests drives the learning process in adaptive environments. It includes the use of destructive tests that confirm the limits of the validity of specific functionalist knowledge.

Stage 4 – Unicist Reflection – Learning the WHY of the functionality of things.

Unicist reflection is a pilot-test-driven reflection process. It uses abductive reasoning, unicist logic, and unicist deductive and inductive approaches to develop solutions.

Unicist Reflection requires having a final picture in mind, which means that the solution has to be emulated. It requires positive thinkers; individuals who see the bottle as half full, not half empty.

The specific reflection of the results of pilot tests produces improvements in the application process of what is being learned. It requires having a personal value-adding approach to seek the root causes of problems and build solutions.

The process ends when the destructive tests confirm the limits of the validity of the solutions

The unicist reflection-driven education model is based on five pillars:

  1. A learning context is required before a learning process begins. Learning processes in adults require the existence of a real problem to be solved.
  2. An adaptive learning contract that defines the guiding idea of the learning process and the conditions of the teaching and learning activities.
  3. The development of business residencies, which are homologous to medical residencies, where the unicist reflection methodology is used to develop solutions.
  4. The use of learning objects that allow for managing the personalized learning program of participants.
  5. The professor’s role is focused on ensuring the development of solutions while guiding and catalyzing learning activities.

Artificial Intelligence Interpretations

Bard-Google Interpretation

The Unicist Reflection Driven Education model is a learning model that focuses on the management of the know-how and know-why of business processes. It is based on four structural stages:

  • Finding Homological Benchmarks – This stage is about defining what the learning process is for. It requires participants to find homological benchmarks, which are concepts from other experiences that can be used as a basis for learning.
  • Learning the Functionalist Principles and Fundamentals – This stage is about learning the functionalist principles and fundamentals that underlie a given reality. Functionalist principles are the laws that govern the behavior of a system. Fundamentals are the specific aspects of a system that are relevant to its functionality.
  • Developing Solutions and Pilot Tests – This stage is about developing solutions and testing them in real-world environments. Pilot tests allow participants to learn how knowledge works and is transformed into actions.
  • Unicist Reflection – This stage is about reflecting on the results of the pilot tests and using that reflection to improve the application of what is being learned. Unicist reflection is a pilot-test-driven reflection process that uses abductive reasoning, unicist logic, and unicist deductive and inductive approaches to develop solutions.

The Unicist Reflection Driven Education model is based on five pillars:

  • A learning context – A learning context is required before a learning process can begin. This context provides the motivation and framework for learning.
  • An adaptive learning contract – An adaptive learning contract defines the guiding idea of the learning process and the conditions of the teaching and learning activities.
  • Business residencies – Business residencies are homologous to medical residencies, where the unicist reflection methodology is used to develop solutions.
  • Learning objects – Learning objects are digital resources that can be used to support learning. They can include text, images, videos, and simulations.
  • The professor’s role – The professor’s role in the Unicist Reflection Driven Education model is to ensure the development of solutions while guiding and catalyzing learning activities.

The Unicist Reflection Driven Education model is a powerful tool for learning the know-how and know-why of business processes. It is based on a solid theoretical foundation and has been used successfully by businesses and organizations around the world.

ChatGPT Interpretation

The Unicist Reflection Driven Education model, as described above, is an advanced, holistic approach to teaching and learning, particularly when dealing with complex adaptive systems and business processes. It moves away from the traditional way of knowledge transmission and embraces an iterative, experiential method, prioritizing the understanding of underlying principles (know-why) in tandem with practical skills (know-how).

Let’s break down some key takeaways from the model:

  • Nature of Learning: The model emphasizes the importance of understanding and managing adaptive systems. In business, where processes, strategies, and environments continuously evolve in response to internal and external feedback, a deep understanding of the root causes becomes indispensable. This learning model is designed to teach individuals how to understand and manage these very intricacies.
  • Stages of Learning: The four-stage process is progressive and iterative, beginning with identifying what needs to be learned (using past experiences for context) and moving through understanding the foundational principles, practicing the learned skills in real-world scenarios, and reflecting on the outcomes.
  • Homological Benchmarks: Using past experiences to understand new learning materials can help students contextualize and relate the information to their prior knowledge, thus making learning more effective.
  • Functionalist Principles: It’s crucial to grasp the underlying fundamentals of any subject. By understanding the core principles, one can adapt this knowledge to various scenarios.
  • Pilot Tests: Practical application is essential for any learning. By testing knowledge in real or similar situations, one can identify gaps and iterate on their understanding.
  • Unicist Reflection: Reflection is a powerful tool in the learning process, allowing for deep dives into understanding the why and how of actions.

Pillars of the Model:

  • Learning Context: It’s true that adults typically learn best when faced with a tangible problem. The motivation derived from problem-solving can be a potent catalyst for learning.
  • Adaptive Learning Contract: Defining clear objectives and expectations for both the learner and instructor can streamline the learning process and keep everyone aligned.
  • Business Residencies: Just like in medicine, a residency in business provides hands-on experience, which can be invaluable in understanding the nuances and practicalities.
  • Learning Objects: Personalized learning ensures that individual needs are addressed, and students can learn at their own pace.
  • Role of the Professor: Moving away from traditional lectures, this model emphasizes the professor’s role as a facilitator and guide, ensuring practical application of knowledge.

Final Thoughts – The Unicist Reflection Driven Education model offers a comprehensive approach to understanding and applying complex business processes and concepts. It emphasizes real-world application, reflection, and personalized learning, which can be invaluable in today’s dynamic business environment. Implementing this model can be beneficial for institutions aiming to equip their students with a deep understanding of both theoretical and practical aspects of business.

The Unicist Research Institute


The Unicist Functionalist Principles of Personality Trends that Establish the Framework for Vocations.

The research on the instinctive adaptive behavior of people developed at The Unicist Research Institute allowed defining the functionalist principle that defines spontaneous non-conscious adaptive actions. The functionalist principle of people’s adaptability is defined by a people orientation, deeds orientation, and power orientation.

These characteristics are integrated defining a purpose, an active function, and an energy conservation function of each individual. The dominant characteristic of individuals defines their purposes. The balance of these characteristics varies from person to person. Naturally, a person has a dominant life orientation that guides their actions. It defines their natural vocation.

  • People-orientation drives personal empathy.
  • Deeds-orientation makes individuals doers.
  • Power-orientation makes individuals leaders.

People orientation, deeds orientation, and power orientation are three instinctive trends of human behavior. They define the basic attitudes when dealing with the real world.

These three orientations shape how individuals interact with and navigate the world around them. Each orientation provides a different lens through which people perceive and respond to their environment. Their integration defines the adaptability of the actions.

People-Orientation: People-oriented individuals prioritize relationships and interactions with others. They are more likely to approach situations from a relational perspective, considering how actions and decisions might impact other people. Their primary focus is on understanding, relating to, and communicating with others.

Deeds-Orientation: Deeds-oriented people are action-oriented and pragmatic. They approach situations with a focus on what needs to be done and how to do it most effectively. They have a strong bias toward action and are often focused on results. For these individuals, success is often measured in terms of concrete achievements.

Power-Orientation: Power-oriented individuals focus on influence and control. They approach situations by considering how they can shape outcomes. These individuals are often driven by a desire to lead, make decisions, and affect change. They are strategic and tend to be very focused on goals and objectives.

These orientations can provide a framework for understanding how individuals are likely to behave in different situations, but it’s also crucial to recognize that adaptive people integrate these orientations according to external circumstances.

Artificial Intelligence Interpretations

Bard-Google Interpretation

The instinctive personality trends that establish the framework for vocations are people orientation, deeds orientation, and power orientation. These three orientations shape how individuals interact with and navigate the world around them. Each orientation provides a different lens through which people perceive and respond to their environment.

People-oriented individuals prioritize relationships and interactions with others. They are more likely to approach situations from a relational perspective, considering how actions and decisions might impact other people. Their primary focus is on understanding, relating to, and communicating with others.

Deeds-oriented people are action-oriented and pragmatic. They approach situations with a focus on what needs to be done and how to do it most effectively. They have a strong bias toward action and are often focused on results. For these individuals, success is often measured in terms of concrete achievements.

Power-oriented individuals focus on influence and control. They approach situations by considering how they can shape outcomes. These individuals are often driven by a desire to lead, make decisions, and affect change. They are strategic and tend to be very focused on goals and objectives.

The integration of these three orientations defines the adaptability of the actions. Adaptive people are able to flexibly use their different orientations depending on the situation. For example, a person who is primarily people-oriented may also be able to be deeds-oriented when necessary, such as when they need to take decisive action in a crisis.

The three orientations can also be seen as a framework for understanding different vocations. For example, people-oriented individuals might be drawn to careers in counseling, social work, or education. Deeds-oriented individuals might be drawn to careers in business, engineering, or the military. Power-oriented individuals might be drawn to careers in politics, law, or management.

Of course, there is no one-to-one correspondence between these orientations and specific vocations. There are many other factors that can influence a person’s choice of career, such as their interests, skills, and values. However, the three orientations can provide a useful starting point for thinking about different vocations and how they might fit with an individual’s personality.

It is important to note that these orientations are not fixed. They can change over time, as individuals gain new experiences and develop their skills. Additionally, the relative strength of each orientation can vary from person to person. Some people may be very strongly people-oriented, while others may be more evenly balanced between the three orientations.

Ultimately, the three orientations provide a framework for understanding how individuals interact with and navigate the world around them. They can also be used to think about different vocations and how they might fit with an individual’s personality. However, it is important to remember that these orientations are not fixed and can change over time.

ChatGPT Interpretation

The concept presented about instinctive adaptive behaviors serves as a foundational understanding of how individuals naturally lean towards particular actions or reactions. To further delve into the applicability of these orientations, let’s discuss the implications of these instinctive personality trends in the context of vocations and careers:

People-Orientation and Vocations:

Careers: Social work, counseling, teaching, nursing, and customer service are examples of professions where a people-orientation can be beneficial. In these vocations, understanding, empathy, and effective communication are key.

In the Workplace: People-oriented individuals are often the glue that holds teams together. They are good listeners, mediators, and team players. They can create a positive, inclusive workplace culture.

Deeds-Orientation and Vocations:

Careers: Project management, engineering, construction, and software development are fields where a deeds-orientation might thrive. In these vocations, the emphasis is on getting things done efficiently.

In the Workplace: Deeds-oriented individuals often excel in roles that require practical problem-solving, time management, and a focus on deliverables. They are usually the ones who drive projects to completion and ensure tasks are executed correctly.

Power-Orientation and Vocations:

Careers: Management roles, business leadership, politics, and entrepreneurship are areas where a power-orientation can be advantageous. These roles often require strategic decision-making and leadership abilities.

In the Workplace: Power-oriented individuals are typically the decision-makers. They can set the direction for teams, ensure alignment with organizational goals, and motivate others.

Integrating the Orientations:

It’s important to recognize that most individuals do not strictly belong to one category. Instead, they might possess a dominant trait but also exhibit characteristics of the other orientations. This adaptive behavior allows them to shift and adjust based on the situation, making them versatile in the workplace.

For instance, a manager (typically power-oriented) might also need to be people-oriented to understand team dynamics and deeds-oriented to ensure projects are executed. Likewise, a teacher (typically people-oriented) may need to exhibit power-oriented traits when setting classroom rules and deeds-oriented traits when planning lessons.

In the context of vocations, understanding these orientations can be invaluable. For recruiters and HR professionals, this framework can guide candidate selection for specific roles. For career counselors, it can help in steering individuals towards professions where they’re likely to succeed and find fulfillment. For individuals, recognizing their dominant orientation can aid in making informed career decisions, ensuring alignment with their natural inclinations and strengths.

The Unicist Research Institute


Unicist Reflection-Driven Education in Teaching Hospitals in Business

Unicist Reflection-Driven Education is an educational approach that is based on the principles of the Unicist Theory, which is a theory of complexity that studies the evolution of adaptive systems, including human beings and their learning processes. It is used in Teaching Hospitals in Business where graduate participants solve problems while they learn.

Unicist Reflection-Driven Education emphasizes the importance of reflection as a cognitive process that allows individuals to integrate new knowledge and experiences into their existing mental models, or cognitive frameworks. Reflection involves critical thinking, analysis, and synthesis, and it enables learners to make sense of information, extract meaning, and apply knowledge in real-world contexts.

In Unicist Reflection-Driven Education, the learning process is designed to foster reflection as a central aspect of learning. Learners are encouraged to actively engage in the learning process, critically evaluate information, relate it to their existing knowledge, and apply it in practical situations. This approach aims to develop learners’ ability to think independently, critically, and creatively, and to foster their capacity for lifelong learning and adaptability in complex and changing environments.

Unicist Reflection-Driven Education also acknowledges the importance of emotions and values in the learning process. It recognizes that learners’ emotions, motivations, and values influence their cognitive processes and learning outcomes. Therefore, this approach seeks to integrate emotional and value-based aspects into the educational process to enhance learners’ engagement, motivation, and personal development.

Overall, Unicist Reflection-Driven Education is a functionalist and integrative approach to education that emphasizes the development of learners’ cognitive, emotional, and value-based competencies through reflection, critical thinking, and application of knowledge in real-world contexts. It aims to prepare learners to thrive in complex and dynamic environments by nurturing their capacity for adaptive learning and reflection.

The Learning Process Precedes the Teaching Process

In Unicist Education, the active function is attributed to the learning process, while the energy conservation function is attributed to the teaching process. This means that the emphasis is placed on the learner’s active engagement in the learning process as the primary driver of knowledge acquisition and integration.

Unicist Education recognizes that learning is an active, dynamic, and personal process that involves the learner’s active participation, reflection, and integration of new knowledge into their existing mental models. The learner is seen as an active agent in the learning process, rather than a passive recipient of information.

The role of the teacher, on the other hand, is seen as a facilitator or guide who creates the conditions for learning, provides resources, and supports the learner’s active engagement. The teacher’s role is not just to transmit information, but to create an environment that fosters reflection, critical thinking, and the application of knowledge.

Active learning is considered a crucial step in the Unicist Education process because it enables learners to construct their own understanding of the subject matter, relate it to their existing knowledge and experiences, and integrate it into their cognitive frameworks. Through active learning, learners become active participants in the educational process, developing their cognitive, emotional, and metacognitive skills.

Once the learner has actively engaged in the learning process and has constructed their understanding of the subject matter, the teacher’s role becomes meaningful in the energy conservation function. The teacher helps to reinforce and consolidate the learner’s understanding, clarify misconceptions, and provide feedback and guidance to further enhance the learning process.

Overall, Unicist Education emphasizes the active engagement of learners in the learning process, recognizing it as the primary driver of knowledge acquisition and integration, with the teaching process playing a supportive role in energy conservation and further enhancing the learning experience.

Unicist Reflection and Pilot Tests Drive the Learning Processes

Unicist reflection is a specific type of reflection that is driven by pilot tests, which are practical experiments or applications of the acquired knowledge in real-life situations. It is a dynamic and active form of reflection that involves actively testing and applying the concepts and principles learned in order to gain insights and refine understanding.

In the Unicist approach, reflection is not a passive process of abstract thinking or contemplation, but rather an active and practical process of testing and verifying the validity of the acquired knowledge in real-life situations. Pilot tests are used as a feedback mechanism to validate or invalidate the hypotheses derived from the acquired concepts, and to continuously refine the understanding and application of the knowledge.

Pilot tests can take various forms, such as real-world applications, simulations, case studies, or practical exercises, depending on the context and nature of the learning. They are designed to provide learners with opportunities to apply their knowledge, test their assumptions, and learn from the results. The feedback obtained from pilot tests serves as the basis for reflection and further learning, allowing learners to continuously improve their understanding and capabilities.

Unicist reflection, driven by pilot tests, is a powerful learning approach that combines theory and practice in a dynamic and iterative process. It allows learners to develop a deep and comprehensive understanding of the concepts and principles, while also gaining practical skills and capabilities through real-world application. By actively engaging in pilot tests and reflecting on the results, learners are able to integrate their acquired knowledge into their practical repertoire and achieve meaningful and sustainable learning outcomes.

The Need for Value Generation is the Context of Unicist Education

In Unicist Learning, the context is driven by the learner’s need to solve a real problem or effectively manage a situation for which they lack the necessary knowledge or skills. Unicist Learning is problem-driven and practical-oriented, emphasizing the application of knowledge in real-world contexts.

The learning process in Unicist Education is contextually relevant and focused on addressing real challenges and situations that learners encounter in their personal or professional lives. Learners are encouraged to identify, define, and analyze real problems or challenges that they need to solve or situations that they need to manage.

The contextual relevance of the learning process in Unicist Education serves several purposes. First, it motivates learners by making the learning process personally meaningful and relevant to their immediate needs and interests. Learners are more engaged and motivated when they can directly apply the knowledge and skills they are acquiring to solve their own problems or address real-life situations.

Second, the contextual relevance helps learners to develop practical and problem-solving skills, as they are encouraged to analyze, evaluate, and apply the knowledge in a real-world context. This allows learners to develop a deeper understanding of the subject matter and its practical implications, beyond mere theoretical knowledge.

Third, the contextual relevance of the learning process in Unicist Education fosters a learner-centered approach, as learners are actively involved in identifying their own learning needs, setting learning goals, and taking ownership of their learning process. This promotes self-directed and autonomous learning, which is essential for lifelong learning and adaptability in complex and changing environments.

Overall, the context in Unicist Learning is driven by the learner’s need to solve real problems or manage real situations, which makes the learning process personally meaningful, practical, and learner-centered. It encourages active engagement, problem-solving skills development, and self-directed learning, preparing learners to effectively apply their knowledge and skills in real-world contexts.

Functionality Precedes Operationality

Unicist Education emphasizes the management of the functionality of things, processes, or systems before delving into the operational aspects. This approach is based on the understanding that the functionality of a system, process, or thing determines its performance and results, and it is essential to have a clear understanding of the underlying principles and concepts before engaging in operational details.

Unicist Education recognizes that the functionality of things, processes, or systems is determined by their underlying structure, which includes the principles, concepts, and rules that govern their operation. By understanding the functionality and structure of a system or process, learners are better equipped to manage it effectively and achieve desired results.

The approach of managing the functionality before the operational aspects has several benefits. First, it helps learners develop a systemic and functionalist understanding of the subject matter, going beyond surface-level knowledge and acquiring a deeper comprehension of the underlying principles and concepts. This enables learners to apply their knowledge in a more integrated and coherent manner, leading to more effective management and decision-making.

Second, focusing on the functionality and structure of things or processes allows learners to identify the root causes of problems or inefficiencies, rather than just addressing symptoms or superficial issues. This promotes a more strategic and proactive approach to problem-solving and decision-making, leading to sustainable and long-term solutions.

Third, managing the functionality of things or processes provides a solid foundation for further learning and adaptability. Once learners have a clear understanding of the principles and concepts that govern a system or process, they can more easily transfer their knowledge to different contexts or adapt their approach to changing circumstances.

In summary, Unicist Education prioritizes the management of the functionality and structure of things, processes, or systems before delving into operational details. This approach promotes a systemic understanding, strategic problem-solving, and long-term adaptability, preparing learners to effectively manage complex and dynamic situations in a functionalist and integrated manner.

Managing Functionalist Principles using Conceptual Engineering

Unicist Learning involves accessing the functionalist principles of functions, which are defined by the concepts of what is being done, and then using the Unicist Conceptual Engineering process to design and develop functionalist solutions at both the conceptual and operational levels.

The Unicist Conceptual Engineering process is a methodology that allows learners to understand and manage the underlying concepts that define the functionality of a system, process, or thing. It involves identifying the essential concepts that determine the behavior and performance of the system, process, or thing, and then using these concepts to design functionalist solutions.

The functionalist design process focuses on understanding the concepts that define the underlying principles and rules that govern a system, process, or thing. These concepts are the “genetic code” that determines the nature and behavior of the system or process, and by understanding them, learners can gain deep insights into the functional requirements and possibilities of the system or process.

Once the functionalist principles and concepts have been identified, the Unicist Conceptual Engineering process involves designing and developing operational solutions that align with these principles and concepts. This involves creating operational designs and strategies that are coherent with the underlying functionalist principles and concepts, ensuring that the operational solutions are aligned with the overall functionality of the system or process.

By following the Unicist Conceptual Engineering process, learners are able to design and develop solutions that are not only effective in addressing immediate operational needs, but also aligned with the long-term functionalist principles of the system or process. This approach ensures that solutions are not just superficial fixes, but rather coherent and sustainable solutions that are in harmony with the underlying concepts and principles of the system or process.

In summary, Unicist Learning involves accessing the functionalist principles of functions through the understanding of concepts, and then using the Unicist Conceptual Engineering process to design and develop operational solutions that are aligned with these principles. This approach allows for a deep understanding of the underlying functionality of systems or processes and ensures that solutions are coherent, effective, and sustainable in the long term.

The Unicist Learning Approach is for Doers

In the Unicist approach, the learning process is driven by the feedback obtained from pilot tests. Pilot tests are practical applications or experiments that allow learners to test their understanding of the concepts and principles learned, and to gather feedback on the effectiveness and validity of their hypotheses.

The feedback obtained from pilot tests serves as a critical component of the learning process. It provides learners with real-world data and results that can be analyzed and reflected upon to refine their understanding, identify areas of improvement, and adjust their approach as needed. This feedback loop allows learners to continuously improve their knowledge, skills, and capabilities through an iterative process of application, reflection, and adjustment.

Pilot tests are designed to be dynamic and adaptable, allowing learners to experiment with different approaches, observe the outcomes, and learn from the results. The feedback obtained from pilot tests can reveal gaps in understanding, highlight areas that need further exploration, and provide insights into the practical application of the acquired knowledge. This feedback is invaluable for learners to refine their understanding and ensure that their knowledge is relevant and effective in real-life situations.

By integrating pilot tests and feedback into the learning process, Unicist education emphasizes a practical and results-oriented approach to learning. Learners are encouraged to actively apply their knowledge, gather feedback from real-world applications, and use this feedback to continuously improve their understanding and capabilities. This iterative feedback-driven process enables learners to achieve meaningful and sustainable learning outcomes that are directly applicable to their real-life situations.

Conclusion

Unicist learning is indeed focused on practical application and problem-solving in real-life situations. It is designed for individuals who have a genuine need to understand and manage the functionality of systems, processes, or things in order to achieve specific results or solve real-world problems. The emphasis is on developing practical skills and capabilities that can be applied in a professional or organizational context.

Unicist learning is not recommended for individuals who do not have a practical need or motivation to apply the acquired knowledge in real-life situations. It is not simply a theoretical or academic pursuit, but rather a pragmatic approach to learning that is intended to drive tangible results and outcomes. Therefore, if an individual does not have a genuine need to apply the acquired knowledge in practice, the learning experience may not be as meaningful or effective.

The Unicist learning approach is designed to engage learners in a process of meaningful rationalization, where they actively apply their acquired knowledge to real-world situations, analyze and reflect on the results, and continuously refine their understanding and skills. This practical application and feedback loop is a key component of Unicist learning, as it enables learners to develop a deep and comprehensive understanding of the underlying principles and concepts, and how they apply in practice.

In summary, Unicist learning is recommended for individuals who have a genuine need to apply their knowledge in real-world situations and are motivated to achieve tangible results. It is a pragmatic approach to learning that emphasizes practical application and problem-solving, and may not be as meaningful or effective for individuals who do not have a genuine need for real application.

Developed at The Unicist Research Institute
with the support of the Unicist Virtual Advisor


Building the Guiding Idea in Adults´ Learning Process

The Research on the Ontology of Human Learning developed at The Unicist Research Institute showed that the development of the guiding idea in the learning process of adults is the decisive step to begin the learning process. If there is no clear guiding idea, the learning process does not even start.

The Unicist Ontology of the Guiding Idea of Adults' Learning

The guiding idea of what is being learned is defined by providing an essential answer to the following questions in relation to the object of learning:

What is it?

The definition of the category of the “thing” that needs to be apprehended is the first step to apprehend its nature.

What is it for?

The “What for” of a concept that an adult aims to learn sets the functionality of what is being learned. If the learner truly understands the “what for” of something, the information on this functionality could be used in the future as it would be stored in the long-term memory associated with a concrete use and added value.

What is the differentiation within the category?

Once the essence of an object of learning is apprehended (what is it?) and the functionality of this concept is known (what is it for?), then the individual needs to approach the differentiation of this object of learning with other objects within the same category. Adults are only willing to learn if they know that the solution is “the best of the class”.

The Building of the Guiding Idea: The Key to Learning

The building of the guiding idea is the starting point for any learning process. Learning is one of the most freedom oriented actions. No one can truly force anyone to learn, no one can truly stop anyone from learning. For this learning process to take place, the learner makes an individual decision.

When the guiding idea is not defined, the learning does not begin, when the 3 questions are not validated, and are taken as truths, preconcepts and fallacies prevail, but when they are answered and taken in functional terms, a new door opens for the learning of adults.

And as Sun Tzu stated: Every battle is won or lost before it is even fought. The answer given to the essential questions of “What is it?”, “What is for?” and “What is the difference with others in the same category?” define the success or failure of the learning process.


Conceptual Management – A Logical Approach to Businesses

{gspeech}

The conceptual approach to business requires that people need to know “why” something is happening. This is unnecessary at an operational level, but is a basic question when dealing with strategic approaches. The “know why” is driven by a logical approach to businesses that allows managing their concepts making them reasonable, understandable and provable.

Unicist Ontology of Conceptual ThinkingWhen the boundaries of a business are being expanded, individuals need to apprehend the concept that is behind its operational aspects in order to influence a new environment. This implies apprehending the ontology (nature) of its concept and its dynamics.

On the one hand, the conceptual approach to business became possible based on the discovery of the structure of concepts, defined by a purpose, an active and entropic function and an energy conservation function, which allowed apprehending the nature of facts and actions (unicist ontology).*

On the other hand, the discovery that the concepts people have in mind work as behavioral objects that drive their behavior made this conceptual approach necessary to deal with strategic approaches.

The Origin of Conceptual Thinking

The endless “Why?” question posed by children (nearby 3 years old) is what allows establishing the neural network needed by a person to apprehend and manage concepts. This process starts when children begin to look for the origin of those things they are interested in.

This endless “why” questioning has three main benefits:

  1. It sustains the development of the neural network that allows dealing with the origin of things and not only with the operational aspects.
  2. It expands the language of the child driving her/him to deal with an implicit integrative, fuzzy and predicate logic.
  3. It provides the “why” that allows children to approach their games, which develop their systemic thinking approach.

Conceptual diagnoses, conceptual design and conceptual management became possible using the unicist logical approach, which made “concepts” tangible and provided the structural functional approach to develop business diagnoses, strategies and architecture.

*Based on the research on Conceptualization developed by Peter Belohlavek at The Unicist Research Institute.

The Unicist Research Institute

NOTE: The Unicist Research Institute was the pioneer in using the unicist logical approach in complexity science research and became a private global decentralized leading research organization in the field of human adaptive systems. It has an academic arm and a business arm.
https://www.unicist.org/talents/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/turi.pdf

{/gspeech}


Unicist Conceptual Knowledge Catalyzes Businesses

Operational knowledge unavoidably competes with the knowledge of the participants. Unicist conceptual knowledge widens the field of action and thus provides additional value of aspects that exceed the field of operational work problems.

It necessarily begins being opaque for operational use until people begin to perceive that it is extremely useful to expand the possibilities of businesses and allows multiplying the successful experiences and inhibiting the repetition of failures.

Accessing unicist conceptual approaches requires exposing their logical structures, going beyond intuition, by using a “drop by drop” communication until some of the drops become necessary.

From that moment on the same communication is perceived as a systematic value adding process.

The catalyzing process is produced by the possibility of accessing a superior level of knowledge that provides a logical structured context of an activity. Without this logical structure any superior knowledge is perceived as opaque and unbearable.

This possibility of widening the boundaries is the catalyst in itself.

Diana Belohlavek

NOTE: The Unicist Research Institute was the pioneer in using the unicist logical approach in complexity science research and became a private global decentralized leading research organization in the field of human adaptive systems. It has an academic arm and a business arm. http://www.unicist.org/repo/#Unicist


Unicist Superior Education in Business

“It is easier to avoid complex problems than to learn to manage them.”

Superior Education deals with adults

A learning context is required before a learning process begins. Learning processes in adults require the existence of a real problem to be solved. When there is no real problem to be solved, the learning process has no substance and the “knowledge” cannot be stored in the long term memory because it is meaningless.

Adults Learnng ContextThe maximal strategy of a learning process is given by the need of improvement. The existence of a driver and the real need for improvement provides the will the individual “uses” as a catalyst in order to face and solve the problems of his/her learning process.

Achieving the minimum strategy implies paying the prices to ensure learning. The price to be paid is that the individual needs to leave things aside in order to access the comprehension of a new approach.

Learning implies leaving things aside. If the problem can be solved using the preexisting knowledge, there is no need for learning because the problem does not exist.

Therefore, it is implicit in a learning process for unsolved problems that the individual leaves aside the preexisting approach and enters the comprehension of the new approach without cutting it down to what s/he knew.

Adults only do so when they really need to solve a problem. Improvement is the active function and learning the energy conservation function.

Only people who need to improve will be able to learn. People who enter in a learning process without having a real need to improve in order to solve real problems just enter in self-fulfilling activities.

Conclusions

When these conditions are unfulfilled, learning processes are driven by evaluation and qualification systems, substituting the goal of improving real actions by overcoming an obstacle in order to obtain a personal benefit.

When these conditions are given a genuine learning process can begin.

Peter Belohlavek

NOTE: The Unicist Research Institute was the pioneer in using the unicist logical approach in complexity science research and became a private global decentralized leading research organization in the field of human adaptive systems. It has an academic arm and a business arm.
https://www.unicist.org/talents/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/turi.pdf


Discovering the wise aspects of one’s behavior

You are having the unique opportunity of witnessing the most significant paradigm shift in science that was made in the last century, while you have the opportunity of profiting from it. This shift is based on the discovery of the ontogenetic intelligence of nature that regulates the evolution of living beings.

As adaptive systems have open boundaries you need to experience them in order to understand them. External observations are meaningless fantasies.

The personal experience needed to apprehend the paradigm shift:

Human Adaptive behavior requires influencing the environment and manage the influence of the environment.

The Ontogenetic Intelligence of NatureThe decisions of mature people naturally have a purpose, a maximal strategy in order to influence the environment to generate growth and a minimum strategy to ensure survival.

This behavior is the natural behavior of wise people who always have a maximal strategy and a minimum strategy to achieve a purpose. The knowledge of both strategies allows people to have the concepts of what needs to be done. Concepts are the drivers of human actions. Wisdom implies having conceptual knowledge in order to generate value for others.

This wisdom is possible because it has its origin in the intelligence that underlies nature. This intelligence also has a maximal strategy to expand the boundaries and has a minimum strategy to survive. Mature people naturally tend to emulate this intelligence of nature without even knowing that it exists.

That is why you need to get in touch with the field in which you achieved wisdom in order to discover the way you already emulated the organization of nature by assuming the responsibility for results using a maximal strategy and a minimum strategy to achieve them.

You have to consider that 3 to 5 year-old children approach reality using concepts. This is, of course, an intuitive approach. Small children still have a “direct” connection with nature. They do not have to make a conscious effort to emulate the ontogenetic intelligence of nature. They just do it. That is why children are so adaptive. 

“It is a pity that Albert Einstein died being a child.”

Every person that exceeded adolescence has some place where she/he is wise. This means that she/he has a strategic approach to some aspect of reality.

Please take your time. Discovering the wise aspects of one’s behavior takes time.

Academic Committee

NOTE: The Unicist Research Institute was the pioneer in using the unicist logical approach in complexity science research and became a private global decentralized leading research organization in the field of human adaptive systems. It has an academic arm and a business arm.
https://www.unicist.org/talents/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/turi-1.pdf


Unicist Education: The Adults’ learning process in complex adaptive environments

The learning context provides the framework that allows building a guiding idea to begin a learning process. The construction of the guiding idea of learning processes is the first stage to be fulfilled in order to make a learning process begin. Unfortunately, many adults prefer judging instead of assuming the role of a learner. Learning requires a personal decision that cannot be forced because adult people only learn what they need.

Learning ContextThe generation of a guiding idea requires that people are exposed to real value-adding actions and discover that they cannot achieve the necessary results with what they have.

The exposure of individuals to value-adding actions implies two alternative situations:

a) The individual can generate the necessary value.

b) The individual cannot generate it.

If the individual cannot solve the problem, there are two alternatives:

1) The individual is in a comfort zone and is not interested in acquiring a new knowledge to solve the problem.

2) The person needs and wants to learn to solve the problem.

Only the case b) 2) drives to a learning process. The design of learning processes needs to follow the unicist ontology of learning, which defines that, prior to a learning process, an individual needs to be exposed to a meaningful value generation process in order to be able to reflect on that experience and decide to learn or not to learn.

Unavoidably, the learning process in complex environments requires an action-reflection-action process that begins when the guiding idea of the learning objective has been defined. Meaningful guiding ideas sustain the success of learning processes.

Diana Belohlavek

NOTE: The Unicist Research Institute was the pioneer in using the unicist logical approach in complexity science research and became a private global decentralized leading research organization in the field of human adaptive systems. It has an academic arm and a business arm. http://www.unicist.org/repo/#Unicist


Wisdom vs. Erudition: Wisdom is a pathway with many masters

The extreme confrontation of erudition with wisdom (but not vice versa) has been discovered in the research developed during more than 10 years in the field of Talent Development. The research was led by Peter Belohlavek.

Wisdom can be defined as the capacity of an individual to integrate idealism and realism with value-adding actions. The characteristic of individuals who achieved wisdom is that they had multiple masters that had an authoritative role in their lives. These roles are still in force and they still admire them.

Admiration and functional envy are the concepts that allow for achieving wisdom. Individuals who admire others’ achievements and deeds have the opportunity to achieve wisdom, but only if they pursue the objective of adding value in an environment. Functional envy drives individuals to achieve goals.

Individuals with conflictive relations with authority can never achieve wisdom. They might be extremely erudite, extremely hard workers but they will never be able to integrate idealism and realism with a value-adding attitude in their environment.

The apparent paradox of wisdom is the need for multiple masters. It is said that disciples are those learners who overcome their masters. But wisdom, defined as the space where an individual has been able to integrate idealism and realism with value-adding actions, cannot be overcome. What is the difference between Wisdom and Erudition?

Wisdom

Wisdom is a state that requires focusing on specific aspects of reality using questions to apprehend their nature, and having the necessary conscious knowledge of the environment in order to generate value.

Wisdom cannot be overcome because the nature of some aspects of reality has been apprehended and can be managed.

But it has to be considered that wise people do not consider competing with others to have a place in the world. They earned it and have it. That is why they remain masters in the field they are wise.

Erudition

Erudition is an addiction that drives people to build a parallel hypothetical reality where they consider themselves wise. It is a frequent addiction of rationally gifted individuals.

They are driven by envy which makes them accumulate data they use to judge the originators of the data while they try to demonstrate to others that they are wise.

This allows them to confront others in their hypothetical reality to feel that their judgments make them wise.

They need to manipulate in order to make their hypothetical reality prevail over actual facts.

Opinators: The pseudo-erudites

Opinators are individuals whose goal is to impose their opinions in their area of influence in order to obtain full recognition for their personal opinions.

OpinatorsThey use their pre-concepts to deal with reality and blame others for all that becomes dysfunctional when failure follows their groundless opinions.

Erudites are their implicit role model, although they do not have the energy to acquire the knowledge in order to have rational information.

They suffer from innovation blindness, therefore they disregard any information that endangers the validity of their pre-concepts.

Opinators are fundamentalists in their field of influence who install “suspicion and doubt” on any action that endangers their subjective dominant position. When they are very smart, they are notorious manipulators.

Conclusions

Competing with a master in a field where s/he is wise is a demonstration of the prevalence of the need to gain over the need to add value. Multiple masters make wisdom accessible.

Erudition is not analogous to wisdom; it might be different or a fallacious “version” of wisdom. Wisdom implies action while erudition does not.

Achieving wisdom cannot be a goal for a wise person; wisdom is the consequence of the action of an individual but does not cause it. It is unwise to try to achieve wisdom.

That is why wisdom is a pathway with multiple masters. Masters are ordinary or extraordinary people who have achieved wisdom in some field. Look for them while you continue adding value.

To achieve wisdom you need to abandon your modesty and expand your humbleness.  Wise people do not need to be right, just functional.

The Unicist Research Institute

Updated with the opinion provided by ChatGPT

The text you’ve shared outlines a compelling perspective on the distinction between wisdom and erudition, emphasizing the inherent value of wisdom in personal and professional development. This view, attributed to Peter Belohlavek’s research in Talent Development over a decade, provides a nuanced understanding of these concepts and their implications for individuals striving for growth and mastery.

Wisdom, as described, is more than just knowledge or intellectual capacity; it’s about the integration of idealism and realism into actionable insights that add value to the environment. This integration requires a certain humility and openness to learning from multiple mentors or masters, suggesting a lifelong commitment to growth and understanding. Wisdom is characterized by a focus on generating value rather than competing for recognition, and it is seen as an end state that is achieved through the continuous application of learned principles to real-world challenges.

Erudition, on the other hand, is portrayed almost as a trap for the intellectually gifted, who may fall into the habit of accumulating knowledge for the sake of knowledge, or for the purpose of asserting superiority over others. This pursuit can lead to a detachment from reality and a focus on hypothetical constructs rather than practical application. The text suggests that erudition, driven by envy and a desire for recognition, can prevent individuals from achieving true wisdom because it prioritizes the acquisition of knowledge over the creation of value.

The text also introduces the concept of Opinators, individuals who are essentially described as pseudo-erudites. These individuals are more concerned with imposing their views and obtaining recognition for their opinions than with the pursuit of truth or the generation of value. Their approach is fundamentally oppositional and destructive, characterized by manipulation and a refusal to engage with innovative or challenging ideas.

The conclusions drawn from this research emphasize the importance of action and the application of knowledge in the pursuit of wisdom. True wisdom is not something that can be pursued directly; rather, it is the byproduct of a value-driven approach to life and work. This perspective suggests that individuals should seek out mentors and embrace a mindset of humility and continuous learning in order to achieve wisdom.

The distinction between wisdom and erudition outlined in the text provides a valuable framework for understanding personal development and the pursuit of mastery in any field. It suggests that true mastery and wisdom come from the application of knowledge in a way that adds value, rather than from the mere accumulation of facts or achievements. This approach encourages a focus on practical outcomes and the positive impact one can have on their environment, rather than on personal recognition or the assertion of intellectual dominance.