What are the requirements for a set point of reference?
In order to answer the question of whether there is one general way of individual decision-making or more than one, we have to limit the more than one part of the question to just one more until we find the answer. If the answer is in favour of only a “one-way” of decision-making, the problem is settled. If the answer is in favour of a “one-more-way” of decision-making, a butterfly has started moving its wings.
The fact that we consider the possibility of a one-more-way of individual decision-making compels us to set a point of reference from which to observe and view our investigation. We have to begin by presenting the peculiarities of the particular way of individual decision-making from which to approach and make our comparison.
Who decides what the point of reference should be? Whoever lays claim to having the facts that prove the existence of a different way of individual decision-making, determines the required point of reference. The particular way in which this specific claimant makes decisions decides the point of reference. Jung puts it as follows: “…every theory of psychic processes has to submit to being evaluated in its turn as itself a psychic process, as the expression of a specific type of human psychology with its own justification.” (CW 6, par. 857) Human psychology in this context refers to the psychology of the specific decision-making process that we take as our point of reference. Jung claimed to have empirically discovered a one-more-way of individual decision-making in comparison to his own way. We are therefore compelled to set Jung’s way of decision-making as our point of reference. Jung clearly indicated his own way of decision-making as being scientific. Jung’s scientific mind-set is therefore the point of reference and default for all future investigations. Jung named the psychological function that enables the scientific mind-set, thinking. He gave us a highly differentiated conception of the thinking function, based on empirical facts.
Our point of reference is Carl Jung’s view of how an individual with a thinking mind-set approaches problems and makes decisions. We are also compelled to answer the question about a one-way or a one-more-way of decision-making in the psychological terminology that Jung developed. Jung acknowledged how difficult it is for the scientific public to follow “a purely psychological argument.” (CW 8, par. 191) In accordance with Kant’s principle that to “comprehend a thing” is to “cognise it … in such a degree as is adequate to our purpose” (Kant’s Introduction To Logic, 1885, p. 55) we have only to present the thinking way of decision-making in a relatively general form to set it as our reference point in practice, thus enabling us to make comparisons.
We compensate for the psychological “language barrier” by providing a general introduction as follows:
SETTING A POINT OF REFERENCE
01-11-2024
