(PPT) Is Culture Always Logical or Is Logic Always Cultural ? by Leif Thomas Olsen - DOKUMEN.TIPS (2023)

Is Culture Always Logicalor Is Logic Always Cultural?

by Leif Thomas Olsen

clipping fromthe Far Eastern Economic Review (14/09/2000)INDIANLOGIC: A high court in India ruled that a bank must consideremploying a young woman on the grounds that she had alreadysuffered bad luck. Sixteen years ago, when Ramya Murthy was a baby,her mother Geetha was burned to death by her father, G.D. NarashimaMurthy. At the time of her death, the mother had been employed bySyndicate Bank of Bangalore, The Asian Age reported.

Ramya, who has just turned 18, applied to the courts to forcethe bank to give her a job on compassionate grounds because such anawful thing had happened to her in the past. Justice H.L. Dattuordered the bank to process the application. This is typical Indiananti-logic. It makes no sense, but feels right.

Culture as a Phenomenon?

Robert Keel (2000):

Culture is the totality of learned, socially transmittedbehaviour. It is the product of both material and non-materialinteraction, i.e., beliefs, values, ideas, norms, and so on.

It is shared, learned and intergenerational

Harry Triandis (1994):

Cultures are like standard operating procedures ... ways ofdoing things that have been internalised to such an extent thatpeople do not argue about them

So, how can we best appreciate our fellow humans cultures?

Harry Triandis again:

Culturally derived differences are caused by differences in ourunstated assumptions

Harry Triandis again:

Culturally derived differences are caused by differences in ourunstated assumptions

But how can that piece of insight help us overcome thesedifferences?

One Way Is Acculturation

Acculturation: The process of assimilating new ideas into anexisting cognitive structure

i.e. the adoption of the behavior patterns of a surroundingculture into ones existing culture

Acculturation: The process of assimilating new ideas into anexisting cognitive structure

i.e. the adoption of the behavior patterns of a surroundingculture into ones existing culture

The typical claim is that the Coca Cola culture overrunsindigenous cultures. But acculturation is not always a matter ofnon-westerners adopting western ideas. Historically there are manyexamples of the opposite.

Cultural Influences on the West Sinology on the EnlightenmentIndiology on Romanticism Orientalism on Colonialism The Rest on theWest Tao, Zen, Hinduism on the Hippies Buddhism on Feminism

The French philosopher Quesnay translated the Taoist concept ofwu-wei to French, and called it laissez-fair. Wu-wei andlaissez-fair both suggest that governments should not interferewith the natural order of things. Quesnays disciple, Adam Smith,was much influenced by the laissez-fair concept when developing hisideas about the invisible hand - in turn a cornerstone for his freemarket theories.Example:Sinology & the Enlightenment

Another Way Is Simply To Learn More About Other Cultures

Another Way Is Simply To Learn More About Other Cultures

Can Everyday Logic be a Cultural Identifier?

Logical Reasoning Deduction versus Analytical Induction or

How all cultures develop their own logic

Where deductive research narrows its claims to what can beproven beyond doubt, analytical induction widens its claims toinclude also diverting outcomes of similar cases

Deductive approach Inductive approach Deduction vs Induction

DeductionA researcher using a deductive method will start outfrom a hypothesis, try to exclude all uncertainty, and claim thatwhat was repeatedly found equals the truth

Analytical InductionA researcher using analytical induction willstart out from one observation, compare this observation to other -albeit similar - cases, and seek to define which outer perimetercan include as many as possible of the cases studied

Coming back to good ol the West and the Rest

Coming back to good ol the West and the RestA core issue of theEnlightenment - on which Positivism and Modernity rests - was theuse of reason, i.e. the ability to form opinions and drawconclusions from facts.

Coming back to good ol the West and the RestA core issue of theEnlightenment - on which Positivism and Modernity rests - was theuse of reason, i.e. the ability to form opinions and drawconclusions from facts.But can we always distinguish facts fromopinions?

Reason, Induction & PremisesReason is merely an instrumentwhich, correctly employed, helps people draw inferences(conclusions) from given premises without inconsistency.

(from The Meaning of Things by AC Grayling)

Reason, Induction & PremisesReason is merely an instrumentwhich, correctly employed, helps people draw inferences(conclusions) from given premises without inconsistency.

(from The Meaning of Things by AC Grayling)

Granted the premises, the logic is inescapable

(from Cultural Anthropology, Cultural Relativism and CulturalValues by Melville Herskovits)

Reason, Induction & Logic Western logic is based onpositivism, to which concepts like evidence, accountability andtransparency are the keys This logic hence assumes a deductiveapproach

Reason, Induction & Logic Western logic is based onpositivism, to which concepts like evidence, accountability andtransparency are the keys This logic hence assumes a deductiveapproach

Non-western logic is based on wisdom, to which concepts liketradition, experience and empiricism are the keysThis logic henceassumes an inductive approach

Reason, Induction & Research Deductive research gave uspenicillin & computer networks Analytical induction gave usacupuncture & social networks

Reason, Induction & Research Deductive research gave uspenicillin & computer networks Analytical induction gave usacupuncture & social networks

The world needs both computer networks & social networks Theworld needs both deductive & inductive thinking

Reason, Induction & PoliticsWestern democracy is based onwell articulated arguments that actually intend to discriminatewithin the framework of a multi-party system

Reason, Induction & PoliticsWestern democracy is based onwell articulated arguments that actually intend to discriminatewithin the framework of a multi-party system

Non-western democracy is based on populist rhetoric thatactually intends to include as many views as possible, within theframework of a consensus-driven system

So, What Is the Conclusion of All This ?

Everyday LogicObservation + Premise = Conclusion

Everyday LogicObservation + Premise = Conclusion

But what about Socrates? Wasnt he the one who started thisdebate?

SyllogismsA reasoned argument where two statements inevitablywill lead to a third

Example:

- All men will one day die (premise) - Socrates is a man(observation) - therefore one day Socrates will die(conclusion).

A Typical East / West DifferenceI think my boss is wrong(observation). Should I tell him during the office meeting?

A Typical East / West DifferenceI think my boss is wrong(observation). Should I tell him during the office meeting?In theWestHe may have overlooked this important piece of information(premise 1), and I think he appreciates initiatives from his staff(premise 2).

A Typical East / West DifferenceI think my boss is wrong(observation). Should I tell him during the office meeting?In theEastHe is after all my senior, whom one shall not directlycriticise (premise 1), and if I make him lose face, he may alsosuffer part of his authority (premise 2).In the WestHe may haveoverlooked this important piece of information (premise 1), and Ithink he appreciates initiatives from his staff (premise 2).

A Typical East / West DifferenceI think my boss is wrong(observation). Should I tell him during the office meeting?In theEastHe is after all my senior, whom one shall not directlycriticise (premise 1), and if I make him lose face, he may alsosuffer part of his authority (premise 2).In the WestHe may haveoverlooked this important piece of information (premise 1), and Ithink he appreciates initiatives from his staff (premise 2).Yes, Ihad better (conclusion) No, I had better not

Logic vs Acculturation:

If every observation must be compared to a premise before alogical conclusion can be made, is acculturation then not mainly amatter of sharing premises?

Is Acculturation a Deductive or Inductive Process?

In the Global Community If a free and democratic world is theobjective, should not all peoples have the right to live by theirown chosen culture as long as it does not harm others ?

Anybody interested in bi- or multilateral interaction must insuch case respect local cultures - no matter how different.

In the Global Community If a free and democratic world is theobjective, should not all peoples have the right to live by theirown chosen culture as long as it does not harm others ?

Anybody interested in bi- or multilateral interaction must insuch case respect local cultures - no matter how different.

Acculturation is here primarily an inductive process, and itssuggested alternative to learn more about others rather thanteaching others about oneself may indeed prove to be the best wayforward.

In Corporate Life Though HQs corporate culture always permeateoverall decision making, as well as reward- and promotion policy,even in culturally distant markets in the name of control andprofit maximation.

In Corporate Life Though HQs corporate culture always permeateoverall decision making, as well as reward- and promotion policy,even in culturally distant markets in the name of control andprofit maximation.

Acculturation will here be a more deductive process, wheresharing the HQ culture and its underlying assumptions withsubsidiary employees is crucial - for them to choose to what extentthey wish to acculturate, and in turn excel in, that particularculture.

But, Has the World a HQ ? In the bi-polar world both SuperPowers agreed the world needed a few joint working groups. But theUN was never meant to be a World Inc. HQ - although Bretton Woodscertainly viewed itself as the Almighty in its domain.

Has a HQ approach arrived with the mono-polar world ?

But, Has the World a HQ ? In the bi-polar world both SuperPowers agreed the world needed a few joint working groups. But theUN was never meant to be a World Inc. HQ - although Bretton Woodscertainly viewed itself as the Almighty in its domain.

Has a HQ approach arrived with the mono-polar world ?Acculturation in todays world does it presuppose we all have toacculturate some HQs culture and its underlying assumptions? Recentlessons taught in democracy and good governance suggests this wouldbe highly deductive.

Now, Assume the World Had a HQ

and the World thought the boss was wrong. Should the World tellhim during an office meeting

?End Part 1

The Premise Component If the Premise Component is so critical,how can it be negotiated, so that opposing cultures eventually canagree on global issues ?

The Premise Component If the Premise Component is so critical,how can it be negotiated, so that opposing cultures eventually canagree on global issues ?

The Full Formula for Cultural Behavior intends to suggest how toput this component into context.

The Full Formula for Cultural BehaviourFrom "Traffic - A BookAbout Culture"Social Level: + Cultural Values + Environment =Cultural Application Empirical Level:+ Cultural Application +Experience = Cultural Premise

Logical Level:+ Observations + Cultural Premise = CulturalConclusion

Action Level:+ Cultural Conclusion + Resources + Resolve =Cultural Behaviour

Lets focus on the Social Level Political, economic andethnological differences apart, how can societies be broadlyclassified ?

The Class Society: A society whose leaders use 'values' togovernTraditionalSlow In changeSegregatedSociety drivenLow need forcontrol

The Power Society: A society whose leaders use 'power' togovernShort on history Intermittent pace of change Elite-orientedPower driven High need for control

The Debate Society: A society whose leaders use 'opinions' togovernWithout history Constant change Interest group based Admindriven Difficult to control

The Big Pond: An opportunistic society AnonymousStardom-oriented Short turnover time Media-driven Tolerant Open buthard to conquer

The Small Pond: A diligent society Seniority-basedMentorship-oriented Long turnover time Network-driven IntolerantClosed - but possible to conquer

Empirical and Action Levels Adding Experiences to the SocialLevel will lead to the Empirical Level, and from the Logical Levelwe will arrive at the Action Level once Resources and Resolve areadded.

/ Leif Thomas Olsen