Heinz von Foerster: the withoutist

Abstract

Purpose

To write about Heinz von Foerster: to interpret him, to describe his real thoughts, to be “a foersterist”.

Design/methodology/approach

Considers that Heinz von Foerster, who used admiration and a not knowing approach as an epistemological basis, like most outstanding, emblematic figures in the history of mankind, liked to be called someone without disciplines, without “‐ist‐s”. It is the author's preference to call him a “withoutist”. The withoutist conveys knowledge from her/his epistemological position of self reference in an a priori manner.

Findings

To use a metaphor: she/he is so sharp that he does not wound his/her counterpart by conveying information, since there are no subject‐object borders to pierce through. He tries to learn learning, understand understanding. The term “withoutist” has a paradoxical meaning: being classified a withoutist means at the same time not to be classifiable.

Originality/value

Understanding a withoutist means not to understand him/her, but understand ourselves: it is a second‐order understanding. It shows up the never‐ending self referential process of construction and knowledge, observer and observed. The ethical position of the withoutist is the a priori acceptance of her/his counterparts opinion, his/her being right.

Citation

Birkas, D. (2005), "Heinz von Foerster: the withoutist", Kybernetes, Vol. 34 No. 3/4, pp. 393-399. https://doi.org/10.1108/03684920510581576