Edgar Morin

La encrucijada

by José Manuel Rodríguez

Rodríguez, J.M. 2011. La encrucijada. Semanario Universidad, No. 1881: 24 Opinión.

Rethinking Transformative Learning and the concept of ‘Critical Reflection’ through the Paradigm of Complexity

by Michel Alhadeff-Jones

Alhadeff, M. (2003). Rethinking Transformative Learning and the Concept of ‘Critical Reflection’ through the Paradigm of Complexity. In C. Aalsburg Wiessner, S. Meyer, N. Lloyd Pfhal, P. Neaman (Ed.) Proceedings of the 5th International Transformative Learning Conference (pp. 20-26). New York: Teachers College, Columbia University.

Taking as a point of departure the diversity of writings developed around the concept of “Critical Reflection”, this... more Taking as a point of departure the diversity of writings developed around the concept of “Critical Reflection”, this paper outlines various ways to organize them beyond the traditional epistemological, theoretical and practical compartmentalizations. Through the introduction of seven principles illustrating the Paradigm of complexity (Edgar Morin), a heuristic approach is proposed to revisit one’s own look on such a field.

Rethinking the concept of ‘Critically Reflective Practice’ through the Paradigm of Complexity

by Michel Alhadeff-Jones

Alhadeff, M. (2003). Rethinking the concept of ‘Critically Reflective Practice’ through the Paradigm of Complexity: Some Epistemological, Theoretical, and Practical Issues. In D. Flowers, M.-Y. Lee, A. Jalipa, E. Lopez, A. Schelstrate, V. Sheared (Ed.) Proceedings of the 44th Annual Adult Education Research Conference (pp. 7-12). San Francisco, CA: University of San Francisco.

Taking as a point of departure the diversity of writings developed around the concept of “Critically Reflective... more Taking as a point of departure the diversity of writings developed around the concept of “Critically Reflective Practice”, this paper outlines various ways to organize them beyond the traditional epistemological, theoretical and practical compartmentalizations.
Through the introduction of seven principles illustrating the Paradigm of complexity (Edgar Morin), a heuristic approach is proposed to revisit one’s own look on such a field.

Complexité de la critique et critique de la Complexité en formation

by Michel Alhadeff-Jones

Alhadeff, M. (2005). Complexité de la critique et critique de la Complexité en formation [Complexity of Critique and Critique of Complexity in Adult Education]. In J. Clenet & D. Poisson (Ed.) Complexité de la formation et formation à la complexité [Complexity of Adult Learning and Learning to Deal with Complexity] (pp. 227-241). Paris: L’Harmattan.

L'approche proposée dans cette communication se situe au centre d'une boucle qui cherche à relier les enjeux inhérents... more L'approche proposée dans cette communication se situe au centre d'une boucle qui cherche à relier les enjeux inhérents à ce que peut susciter en formation les notions de "critique" et de "complexité". La réflexion développée interroge ainsi la façon de concevoir dans le champ de l'éducation le développement d'une posture de remise en question à visée émancipatrice inspirée par ce paradigme. Pour se faire, la démarche adoptée s'inspire des sept principes formulés par Morin autour d'une pensée complexe. La notion de "critique" en tant qu'analyseur est ainsi revisitée de façon complexe à travers le traitement qu'elle a reçu dans les Sciences de l'Education de langue anglaise et française au cours de ces dernières décennies. Dans une perspective récursive et critique, l'approche adoptée amène finalement à
questionner les présupposés à partir desquels le paradigme de la complexité lui-même est appréhendé du point de vue de la formation.

Trois Générations de Théories de la Complexité: Nuances et Ambiguités

by Michel Alhadeff-Jones

Alhadeff-Jones, M. (2008). Trois Générations de Théories de la Complexité: Nuances et Ambiguités. Programme Européen MCX “Modélisation de la Complexité”. Disponible à l’adresse: http://www.mcxapc.org/docs/conseilscient/0805michel.pdf

Le recours contemporain à la notion de "complexité" renvoie fréquemment à des démarches ayant tendance à... more Le recours contemporain à la notion de "complexité" renvoie fréquemment à des démarches ayant tendance à unifier sa définition. En langue anglaise, sa réduction à une forme singulière (complexity theory ou complexity science) s'avère ainsi susceptible de masquer la variété des théories permettant de rendre compte des implications inhérentes au recours à cette notion. Cet article, en prenant en considération à la fois les traditions de recherche latines et anglosaxonnes, associées à la notion de complexité, suggère une approche plus nuancée, évitant la simplification de cette notion à certaines des conceptions dominantes qui y sont associées. Partant d'une approche étymologique, cet article propose d'envisager de façon chronologique l'émergence de trois générations de théories de la complexité; ce faisant, certains de leurs enracinements épistémologiques et socio-culturels sont introduits. D'un point de vue épistémologique, la réflexion proposée met en évidence certaines des interprétations hétérogènes sous-jacentes à la définition de ce qui est perçu comme complexe. Suivant une perspective anthropologique, ce texte évoque également la portée à la fois émancipatrice et asservissante susceptible d'être associée à l'idée de complexité. Sur la base des ambiguitiés mises en évidence, cet article suggère finalement de concevoir les contributions renvoyant aux théories contemporaines de la complexité, au même titre que la remise en question de leur légitimité épistémologique et éthique, à partir des boucles et des dynamiques dont elles sont constitutives. Ce faisant, les chercheurs et les praticiens en Sciences de l'éducation devraient considérer leurs pratiques en tant que processus
d'apprentissage dont la complexité renvoie autant aux transformations qu'ils étudient ou provoquent, qu'aux transformations inhérentes aux systèmes de représentations
auxquels ils ont recours pour les conceptualiser. 

Three Generations of Complexity Theories: Nuances and Ambiguities

by Michel Alhadeff-Jones

Alhadeff-Jones, M. (2008). Three Generations of Complexity Theories: Nuances and Ambiguities. Educational Philosophy and Theory, 40, 1, 66-82.

The contemporary use of the term ‘complexity’ frequently indicates that it is considered a unified concept. This may... more The contemporary use of the term ‘complexity’ frequently indicates that it is considered a unified concept. This may lead to a neglect of the range of different theories that deal with the implications related to the notion of complexity. This paper, integrating both the English and the Latin traditions of research associated with this notion, suggests a more nuanced use of the term, thereby avoiding simplification of the concept to some of its dominant expressions only. The paper further explores the etymology of ‘complexity’ and offers a chronological presentation of three generations of theories that have shaped its uses; the epistemic and socio-cultural roots of these theories are also introduced. From an epistemological point of view, this reflection sheds light on the competing interpretations underlying the definition of what is considered as complex. Also, from an anthropological perspective it considers both the emancipatory as well as the alienating dimensions of complexity. Based on the highlighted ambiguities, the paper suggests in conclusion that contributions grounded in contemporary theories related to complexity, as well as critical appraisals of their epistemological and ethical legitimacy, need to follow the recursive feedback loops and dynamics that they constitute. In doing so, researchers and practitioners in education should consider their own practice as a learning process that does not require the reduction of the antagonisms and the complementarities that shape its own complexity.

Revisiting Educational Research Through Morin’s Paradigm of Complexity

by Michel Alhadeff-Jones

Alhadeff-Jones, M. (2009). Revisiting Educational Research Through Morin’s Paradigm of Complexity. Complicity: An International Journal of Complexity and Education, 6, 1, 61-70.

I was recently invited by Deborah Osberg and Wiliam E. Doll Jr., the new editors of the journal Complicity: An... more I was recently invited by Deborah Osberg and Wiliam E. Doll Jr., the new editors of the journal Complicity: An International Journal of Complexity and Education to reflect on Ton Jörg’s paper “Thinking in Complexity about Learning and Education: A Programmatic View“. The reflection I developed in my paper Revisiting Educational Research Through Morin’s Paradigm of Complexity follows the epistemological and anthropological critique characterizing the “paradigm of complexity” proposed by Edgar Morin (1977/1992, 1980, 1986, 1991, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2008). It invites one to question the way one conceives changes and transformations brought by the use of the notion of complexity itself.

In this perspective, instead of  focusing on the content of Jörg’s theoretical propositions, my intent is to question and comment on what I interpreted as being some of the implicit assumptions which frame his reflection. The aim of this paper is therefore to question the way one conceives the use of a specific theoretical approach (i.e., theories associated with the concept of complexity) in order to promote changes in educational practices and theories.

The position I am adopting in this paper translates indeed the conviction that any reform of thought has to be conceived in conjunction with a reflection about the idea of reform itself (Morin, 1999). It is therefore assumed that the use of the notion of complexity, to be critical and to bring significant changes, supposes not only to use a specific theoretical vocabulary, but also and above all to change the way scientific activity itself is conceived in order to bring about such a transformation.

The reflection proposed is articulated around five axes: Morin and the Paradigm of Complexity; Program versus Strategy of Research; Prescription versus Interpretation; Monoreferentiality versus Multireferentiality; Distance and Generalization versus Contingency and Implication.

Additional contributions from Deborah Osberg, Klaus Mainzer, Gert Biesta, Brent Davis, M. Jayne Fleener David Kirshner and David Kellogg, Bernard Ricca, and William E. Doll, Jr, are available at http://www.complexityandeducation.ualberta.ca/COMPLICITY6/Complicity6_TOC.htm

Educação e complexidade: a construção do projeto político-pedagógico

by Alvaro Augusto Schmidt Neto

Aprendizagem Transdisciplinar: a Experiência do Conflito

by Alvaro Augusto Schmidt Neto

Souvenirs, Rencontres, Perspectives: Entretien Avec Serge Proulx

by Dominique Trudel

Dans cet entretien, Serge Proulx évoque ses rencontres avec des figures intellectuelles marquantes des sciences... more Dans cet entretien, Serge Proulx évoque ses rencontres avec des figures intellectuelles marquantes des sciences sociales, notamment Marcel Rioux, Edgar Morin et Gregory Bateson. Ces rencontres constituent le prisme à travers lequel se réfléchissent des considérations sur l’histoire, le développement, l’épistémologie et la dimension politique du champ d’étude de la communication.

In this interview, Serge Proulx recalls his encounters with some of social sciences’ influential figures, such as Marcel Rioux, Edgar Morin and Gregory Bateson. These encounters constitute the cornerstone of Proulx’s views on the history, genesis, development as well as epistemological and political dimensions of the communication studies field.

Complexity, Epistemology, and the Challenge of the Future Johannessen & Kuhn~Vol 2_Ch-22

by Alfonso Montuori

Creativity: Systems Approach

by Alfonso Montuori

Montuori A. (2011) Systems Approach. In: Runco MA, and Pritzker SR (eds.)
Encyclopedia of Creativity, Second Edition, vol. 2, pp. 414-421 San Diego:
Academic Press.

It is not possible to speak of a single systems approach. There
are rather of a number of systems approaches,... more It is not possible to speak of a single systems approach. There
are rather of a number of systems approaches, each loosely
drawing on different aspects of a family composed mainly of,
general system theory, cybernetics, information theory, chaos
theory, and complexity theory. Systems approaches have been
used in most of the social sciences, particularly sociology and
management, but their use has extended into the arts and
humanities.
Creativity researchers have used systems approaches drawing
on very different sources and in very different ways. The
main focus has been to highlight creativity as a phenomenon
that occurs in the context of multiple systems, and therefore
involves a network of interactions.

Creative Inquiry: Confronting the challenges of scholarship in the 21st century

by Alfonso Montuori

Futures 44 (2012) 64–70

It is becoming increasingly apparent that creativity and imagination are key to envisioning alternatives to the... more It is becoming increasingly apparent that creativity and imagination are key to envisioning alternatives to the problems of postnormal times. At the same time, educational institutions all over the globe are still mired in assumptions from the machine/industrial age, preparing students for reproduction and conformity rather than creativity. This article outlines the philosophical foundations of an educational approach in which creativity is central to scholarship, where learners move from being consumers to creators and from bystanders to participants in the postnormal dance of knowledge.

The Reduction of Critique in Education: Perspectives from Morin’s paradigm of complexity

by Michel Alhadeff-Jones

Alhadeff-Jones, M. (2010). The Reduction of Critique in Education: Perspectives from Morin’s paradigm of complexity. In D. Osberg & G. Biesta (Eds.), Complexity Theory and the Politics of Education (pp. 25–37). Rotterdam: Sense Publishers.

Challenging the Limits of Critique In Education Through Morin's Paradigm of Complexity

by Michel Alhadeff-Jones

Alhadeff-Jones, M. (2010). Challenging the Limits of Critique in Education through Morin’s Paradigm of Complexity. Studies in Philosophy and Education, 29(5), 477-490.

The position adopted in this paper is inspired by Edgar Morin’s paradigm of complexity and his critique of scientific... more The position adopted in this paper is inspired by Edgar Morin’s paradigm of complexity and his critique of scientific and philosophical forms of reductionism. This paper is based on research focusing on the diversity of conceptions of critique developed in academic discourses. It aims to challenge the fragmentation and the reduction framing the understanding of this notion in educational sciences. The reflection begins with the introduction of some of Morin’s assumptions concerning the paradigm of complexity. The next section provides a definition of the idea of critique and explores some limits associated with contemporary references framing this notion. Theories of critique are at the core of several educational theories. Based on the literature identified in French-speaking and English-speaking critical traditions in education, several factors determining the way the idea of critique is reduced in education are highlighted. Stressing the tacit character of those variables challenges the limits of traditional conceptions of critique in contemporary education. The position adopted denounces therefore the fact that the current development of theories of critique in education does not provide a framework considering more systematically their conditions of emergence, their own limitations, as well as the antagonistic, complementary and contradictory relationships, which connect them to one another. Based on this position, this paper finally suggests that a distinction be made between "hypocritique" and "hypercritique" as a semantic artifact, stressing the importance of challenging existing theories of critique in education according to the level of complexity that one may attribute to them.

Culture et connaissance: convergence des «sciences», tendances et enjeux

by Guillaume Narbonne

Creativity, Consciousness, and the Direction for Human Development

by Alfonso Montuori

Montuori, A., Combs, A., & Richards, R. (2003). Creativity, consciousness, and the direction for human development. In Loye, D. (Ed.) The great adventure: Toward a fully human theory of evolution. Albany: SUNY Press.

Beyond post normal times: The future of creativity and the creativity of the future

by Alfonso Montuori

Montuori, A. 2011. Futures The journal of policy, planning and futures studies. 42, 2 221-227.

Creativity and imagination are the most important ingredients for coping with post-normal times, according to... more Creativity and imagination are the most important ingredients for coping with post-normal times, according to Sardar.This paper looks at the way creativity itself is being transformed in the West, from the individualistic/atomistic view of Modernity towards a more contextual, collaborative, complex approach. It explores the potential and possibilities for this more participatory creativity to help go beyond the ‘‘crisis of the
future,’’and argues that the centrality of creativity must go beyond the mythology of genius and inspiration to inform philosophy, ethics, and action. Philosophical reflection and the imagination of desirable futures can emerge from a creative ethic that stresses the value of generative interactions and contexts that support creativity.

Gregory Bateson and the Challenge of Transdisciplinarity

by Alfonso Montuori

Montuori, A. (2005). Gregory Bateson and the Challenge of Transdisciplinarity. Cybernetics and Human Knowing. 1, 16-37.

Gregory Bateson was a thinker beyond disciplines, contributing not only to specific disciplines ranging from... more Gregory Bateson was a thinker beyond disciplines, contributing not only to specific disciplines ranging from Communication to Family Therapy to Ecology, but also helping us to think about the nature of inquiry, thought and disciplinary organization. In this paper I argue Bateson was a transdisciplinary thinker, and illustrate how his work can lead us to a new approach to inquiry. I conclude by outlining the 5 central features of transdisciplinarity: inquiry-driven rather than exclusively discipline-driven; meta-paradigmatic rather than intra-paradigmatic; informed by thinking that is complex, creative, contextualizing, and connective; inquiry as a process of creative combining rigor and imagination.

Gregory Bateson e la transdisciplinarietà

by Alfonso Montuori

Montuori, A. (2005). Gregory Bateson e la sfida della transdisciplinarietà. Elites. 2/2005, pp. 4-15.