Aperspectivism

We are copying this definition, very important to P2P Epistemology, from The Transitioner's site on Collective Intelligence:

URL = http://www.thetransitioner.org/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Aperspectivism

"Aperspectivism is a concept created by Jean Gebser in his book called « The Ever Present Origin ». See below for information on this key book.

Definition and Explanation

"Let's imagine a circle of people around a complex colorful object. Depending on their position around this object, some people will say it's back with a flower hat. Others will say it has a pair of eyes. Others will mention its blue vaporous aspect, with no precise details, with a had without flowers, etc.

No one can individually grab the object in its plain reality, everyone has an « angled » perception, based upon the angle he/she is looking from. In the classical approach, named « perspectivism », each one would defend his/her point of view by claiming his/her own perception, fully sincere and valid..

No matter which process is used to select the dominant view (from the strongest, the most charismatic, the most agile, the elected representative...), the final version that will emerge will also have an angle.

The only way to apprehend the complex reality of this object is collective. Each one should be able to provide his/her point of view, just like providing a new piece in a giant puzzle. We no longer stick up for a point of view, but we offer it. Thus, while everyone has an individual perception that is absolutely sincere and contradictory, the community becomes able to manipulate a complex object that none of the member can individually grasp..

This approach seems obvious to us for real 3D objects that belong to our perceptible reality. Yet we leave this approach as soon as complex symbolic objects enter in the game. Then we jump into perspectivism, just like if the balance of contradictory forces would give birth to an emerging truth. This is one of the greatest contemporary illusions there is." (http://www.thetransitioner.org/wiki/tiki-index.php?page=Aperspectivism)

Key Books to Read

Jean Gebser. Ever Present Origin : Part One: Foundations Of The Aperspectival World. Ohio University Press, 1986

Michel Bauwens: I consider this one of the most important books I had the opportunity to read, and I strongly recommend it, despite its complexity. It's a history of how leading artists, scientists and philosophers started to see the world differently, already at the beginning of the 20th century. However, this epistemological evolution, the basis of a peer to peer mode of knowing, has yet to fully transform the consciousness of broader groups of people. Jean Geber may be considered the father of the 'integral movement' in philosophy.