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The Metapattern Institute
A Nexus for Philosophical Innovation
Hello All,
I hope this message finds you well and in good spirits. As I reconnect with you following my recent online leave, I want to take a moment to express my sincere gratitude for your understanding and steadfast support. The past few months have been marked by significant challenges and transitions, including my father’s hospitalization and various other professional obligations that required my full attention. Your patience and encouragement have been an invaluable source of strength during this period.
As we move forward together, I am excited to share the latest report on the ongoing work and developments at the Metapattern Institute in Montreal. This report provides an in-depth overview of our recent initiatives and highlights how we are advancing the field of digital humanities through the seamless integration of philosophical insights and practical applications. Below, you will find comprehensive details on our new training program, Integral Awareness & Commitment Training (IACT), updates on the expansion of our local research and community projects, and the growth of the Integral Facticity Podcast. Additionally, the report explores our foundational theories, primary research areas, and evolving communication strategy.
Thank you once again for your continued support and engagement. I look forward to embarking on this next chapter with you.
Warm regards,
Erik Haines
Introduction
Located in Montreal, the Metapattern Institute is a beacon for interdisciplinary research focusing on digital humanities through the lens of integral humanism. The Institute has pioneered theories such as integral facticity and enactive fallibilism and is currently developing a training program called Integral Awareness & Commitment Training (IACT).
Philosophical Foundations and Influences
The Institute's foundational philosophy stems from Jacques Maritain's integral humanism, which advocates for a synthesis of divine revelation, grace, and reason, offering a systemic approach and understanding of integral human development. This has been expanded upon with:
Ken Wilber’s Integral Theory: Wilber's AQAL model (All Quadrants, All Levels, All Lines, All States, All Types) structures human experience across four dimensions, providing a comprehensive framework for analysis.
Martha Nussbaum and Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach: This approach emphasizes enhancing individual capabilities and opportunities, crucial for achieving personal well-being and aligning with the Institute's focus on integral human development.
Jürgen Habermas’s Communicative Rationality: His work on rational discourse and modernity's ongoing project supports the Institute's exploration of consensus through communication.
Fred Dallmayr’s Method of Intercultural Dialogue and Integral Pluralism: Encourages an integrative perspective across diverse cultural philosophies, resonating deeply with the principles of integral facticity and enactive fallibilism.
Steven C. Hayes’s Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT): Influences the development of IACT by integrating psychological flexibility with actionable values and his six core processes of ACT.
Key Theories
Integral Facticity: This concept emphasizes the interconnectedness of various aspects of life and knowledge. It seeks to understand the complex and interwoven nature of human existence, promoting an integral and systemic view of knowledge and reality. Inspired by Ken Wilber's AQAL model, integral facticity encourages researchers to consider the broader context and relationships when studying a phenomenon, integrating insights from different disciplines to form a more complete and nuanced understanding of reality and facticity.
Enactive Fallibilism: This philosophical approach acknowledges the fallibility of human knowledge and promotes continuous learning and adaptation. It suggests that knowledge is not passively received but actively constructed through our interactions with the world. Enactive fallibilism emphasizes the importance of recognizing the limitations of human knowledge and the need for ongoing dialogue and revision of beliefs. Drawing on Jürgen Habermas's critique of instrumental rationality, it advocates for communicative rationality and the role of rational discourse in achieving mutual understanding.
Research Areas
The Metapattern Institute's research spans:
Digital Humanities and Religious Studies: Utilizing digital tools to explore cultural and religious impacts.
Digital Ethnography and Political Anthropology: Analyzing socio-political dynamics through digital methodologies.
Health Education and Integral Human Development: Focusing on health, poverty reduction, conflict resolution, and human rights.
Digital Curation and Knowledge Management: Improving how digital information is managed and curated.
Library Management and Information Science: Enhancing library practices and information science.
Communication Strategy
The Institute employs a comprehensive communication strategy to disseminate its research findings, through various digital knowledge management and mobilization means. A notable initiative is the Integral Facticity Podcast, which explores and disseminates the philosophical and practical aspects of the Institute's work in dialogue with other scholars and researchers.
Integral Facticity Podcast
Here is a comprehensive list of the episodes to date:
Douglas Lain on Michael Brooks, the Next Left & Future of Left-Wing Media (April 20, 2022)
Liberalism’s Discontent & the Future of Cosmopolitanism w/ Victor Bruzzone (May 12, 2022)
Rethinking German Idealism, Religion, & the Left w/
(July 15, 2022)- on Integral Ecology, Cosmopolitics, & the Catholic Left (July 19, 2022)
Galen Watts on Robert Bellah & the Spiritual Turn (October 15, 2022)
Matteo Bortolini on Robert Bellah & his Legacy for the Left (October 29, 2022)
Francis X. Charet on Carl Jung, Goddard College, & Religious Studies in Canada (December 3, 2022)
Metamodernism & The Future of Religious Studies w/ Jason Ā. Josephson Storm (Feb 28, 2023)
New Training Program: Integral Awareness & Commitment Training (IACT)
The Integral Awareness & Commitment Training (IACT) program is currently under development with the objective of aligning individual actions with values that enhance personal and societal well-being. The primary inspiration for IACT stems from the work of Steven C. Hayes, particularly his contributions to Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Relational Frame Theory (RFT).
For those unfamiliar with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), it is a form of psychotherapy that incorporates acceptance and mindfulness strategies, along with commitment and behavior change techniques, to enhance psychological flexibility. Psychological flexibility refers to the capacity to remain present in the moment with full awareness and openness to experiences, and to act in accordance with one's values.
The ACT Hexaflex is a visual model representing the six core processes of ACT, each designed to promote psychological flexibility. These six processes are as follows:
Present Moment: Maintaining full awareness and engagement in the present.
Acceptance: Allowing thoughts and emotions to arise and dissipate without resistance.
Values: Identifying what is fundamentally significant and meaningful to the individual.
Cognitive Defusion: Learning to observe thoughts and feelings as they are, rather than interpreting them literally.
Self-as-Context: Recognizing that one encompasses more than their thoughts, feelings, and experiences.
Committed Action: Undertaking effective actions that are guided by personal values.
These processes help individuals better manage their thoughts and emotions, enabling them to live more meaningfully despite challenges. The IACT framework at the Metapattern Institute integrates these principles to help individuals develop psychological flexibility and commit to actions that align with their values. This approach promotes systemic and transformative personal and societal change, fostering a more inclusive and participatory approach to social and political issues from an integral human perspective.
Martha Nussbaum and Amartya Sen's capability approach has also influenced the development of IACT by emphasizing the importance of expanding individuals' capabilities and opportunities to achieve well-being. Their approach advocates for creating conditions that allow individuals to realize their potential, aligning with the Institute's commitment to integral human development.
Jürgen Habermas's ideas on communicative rationality have further enriched the development of IACT by providing a foundation for exploring how rational discourse and mutual understanding can be integrated into a coherent theoretical framework. His work emphasizes the role of communication in achieving consensus and fostering democratic participation.
Ken Wilber's AQAL model has provided a comprehensive framework that considers multiple dimensions of human experience. By integrating the individual interior, individual exterior, collective interior, and collective exterior dimensions, IACT encourages an integrated approach to personal and societal transformation. This integration ensures that individuals not only focus on their internal experiences and values but also consider their actions for broader social and cultural implications.
Conclusion
As we stand at the intersection of technology, philosophy, and integral human development, the Metapattern Institute continues to carve a path towards a more integrated and enlightened society. Through our innovative programs like Integral Awareness & Commitment Training (IACT), our podcast series, and our expansive research, we are not just exploring new philosophical territories but actively shaping them.
Our mission transcends traditional academic boundaries, aiming to foster a global dialogue that respects and integrates diverse viewpoints into a cohesive understanding of human experience. As we move forward, your continued engagement and support are not just appreciated; they are crucial. Together, we are not only advancing knowledge but also nurturing capabilities for a future where individuals are empowered to lead lives of greater purpose and collective harmony.
We invite you to join us in this transformative journey. Whether through active participation, financial support, or simply spreading the word, your involvement helps amplify our impact. Let's continue to explore, learn, and grow together, pushing the frontiers of philosophical innovation and integral human development.
Ways to Support Us
We invite you to support our mission in the following ways:
Subscribe to my Substack: Stay updated with the latest developments, research findings, and podcast episodes. Your subscription helps sustain our ongoing projects.
Visit our website to make a one-time donation or set up a monthly recurring donation: Your generosity directly supports our research and initiatives.
Share our work: If you find our initiatives valuable, please share them with your network to help us reach a wider audience.