Do's and Don'ts of Fearology
Date
2018-11-21
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
In Search of Fearlessness Research Institute
Abstract
As beginning students of fearology (and within The Fearology Institute), Dr. R. Michael Fisher offers suggestions of how to critically reflect upon and avoid the tendency of binary lists of ethical practice designed with the "do's" and "don'ts" binary configuration. He tells the story of the "monkey trap" and relates that to the issue of grasping and premature closure in our thinking and styles of knowledge and practice. He weaves these problems with transdisciplinary practice and attitudes and distinguishes those from multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary. He shows how the aesthetics of A-ness/D-ness (from his own research) can indicate the way fear-based means are used to solve problems--the latter is very problematic when the problem is fear itself. He includes his own favorite integral methodological pluralism context/model for embracing all perspectives (following the work of Ken Wilber)---although, he is clear to let fearology students know they do not necessarily have to adopt the critical integral theory of fearology he uses. Fearology has to be developed by everyone in their own ways, as long as they are critically self-reflective and ethical ways. Dr. Fisher does not wish to be "the authority" who goes around telling people (students) what is the right and wrong way or do's and don'ts of this new transdisciplinary field--called fearology. He advises fearology students to make up their own lists of do's and don'ts if they feel that's helpful and they could derive such lists from reading Dr. Fisher's work and/or studying all his teaching videos... then, they will better develop their own 'authority' and really think carefully about those lists--instead of accepting Dr. Fisher's authority only. Mainly, he wants to ensure that fearology students don't exclude entirely the don'ts list but keep it in conversation and be flexible in specific cases and situations in applying any ethical code. Such lists if needed, ought to be examined ongoing in terms of when they are being mis-used and fear-based in their operational uses.
Description
Keywords
fearology, The Fearology Institute, students, practices, transdisciplinary