Re: RE: Deming on systems thinking

["Vic Forte" <vic@vicf.com>]

There is nothing necessarily unscientific about meditation many of our great 
medical discoveries came about through doctors experimenting on themselves 
in an empirical way. Adwaita Vedanta, for instance is about as empirical as 
you can get because it enquires into the nature of the observer as well as 
the observed. Also the work of J. Krishnamurti.

I would also suggest that there are parallels between Deming's "reduce 
variation" and the reduction of mental variation found in meditation. 
Leading to improved "Quality" of living. Also that there are exciting 
parallels between Deming's theory of knowledge and aspects of Jnana Yoga 
(for which there is insufficient space here).

With regards to systems thinking, Zen, Jnana and Adwaita Vedanta help us to 
understand the nature of consciousness as a system and particularly the 
subject-object duality. Meditation is a practical and empirical way of 
conducting an enquiry into the system that is consciousness. It could be 
said that the split in consciousness between subject and object is the 
ultimate in sub-optimisation.

And of course all of this resolves itself into to the fourth aspect of SoPk 
namely Psychology. Meditation can help us to find the answer to the greatest 
question of all, namely "Who Am I". The discovery of which goes hand in hand 
with Intrinsic Motivation. And none of this requires a belief of any sort. 
No "God" need be posited.

All that is required is time taken to sit and be aware.