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Acting to understand and understanding to act

Ranulph Glanville (Innovation Design Engineering, Royal College of Art, London, UK AND CybernEthics Research, Southsea, UK)

Kybernetes

ISSN: 0368-492X

Article publication date: 3 November 2014

569

Abstract

Purpose

To establish the essential centrality of a circular relationship between acting and understanding, and a role learning plays in this circularity, with special reference to Aristotle's phronesis and sophia. The purpose of this paper is to establish a position.

Design/methodology/approach

The argument is made through critical, cybernetic analysis and argument.

Findings

The argument reconceptualises key relationships in the approach to understanding the world, and in education.

Research limitations/implications

Research implications are not explored: the argument attempts to lay groundwork for other and later work.

Originality/value

The argument establishes a cybernetic circular causality to replace the currently preferred linear causality.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

In Memoriam Richard Jung.

Citation

Glanville, R. (2014), "Acting to understand and understanding to act", Kybernetes, Vol. 43 No. 9/10, pp. 1293-1300. https://doi.org/10.1108/K-07-2014-0147

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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