Concrescence


Concrescence is a 3 part decision making process created by Alfred North Whitehead. Images are screen caps from the video below hat tip to Matthew D. Segall, Process Philosopher, aka: @Footnotes2Plato.

The Many become One and are increased by One.
The Roots are Experience, The Bulb is Prehension + Aporia. The Trigger is the Flower.

The 3 Step Process of Cooperative Concrescence

  • The Roots are our Experience
  • The Bulb is Prehension + Aporia
  • The Trigger is the Flower.

Eternal & Perished Objects

Things & Processes that have been actualized to satisfaction in the past make up the “Perished Objects” on the left.

The “Eternal Objects” are Concepts & Facts, and certain Things & Processes that are Known and have been actualized to satisfaction in the past.


Physical Pole & Mental Pole

The Physical Pole is the Concrete – muscle memory, autonomic, reflexive thoughts and actions. 

Affective experiences of the ass hitting the ground, the experience of the nose actually touching the thing, the feet leaving the pedestal. These are the things we tend to mark and are concrete experiences from past concrescent events. 

The Mental Pole is the Abstract – abstracted notions of how the Concepts & Facts work, and previous experience of Things & Processes and their relationship to those physical Affects. 

Feelings & Affects are Concrete Reality.
Ideas & Relationships are Abstract Reality.


CAT – Cue – Aporia – Trigger

The Prehensions load up in the Cue. The Aporia while waiting for the Trigger is used to help ingression of the Concepts & Facts into the abstract reality the dog creates in the moments between the Cue & Trigger.

If there is no Trigger the dog goes as soon as they have successfully abstracted reality and collapsed the Physical and Mental Poles into Actuality.
If the dog initiates and the handler goes this becomes simple Pleasure or Affirmation and is an appetitive response and will not lead to satisfaction. In other words, the addiction will be for the cookie.

If the handler initiates the Trigger and meets the dog where they are and actualizes reality, hit or miss, the event will be an actualized response and will lead to satisfaction. In other words, the addiction will be for Next.


Pulling Reality Out of the Aether

During Aporia, Concepts & Facts and other eternal objects are ingressed into the Mental Pole to build the abstract reality and past experiences are referenced to usher the behavior and contextualize performance through the actualization process that begins with the Trigger.


Subjective Form & Aim

Subjective Form – is emotional baggage from the past – PAN (Pankseppian Affective Neuroscience) takes over here. Historical emotional affects: SEEKING and PLAY should be dominant for successful work. FEAR, RAGE, CARE, PANIC, LUST(?) are undesirable.

Subjective Aim is guided by coherence or noise within the Subjective Form. They harmonize. If it’s successful satisfaction is achieved. 

Hunger and Compulsion are motivators, but can and do create noise. Have to reference with PAN.


Striving for Satisfaction

Satisfaction – As soon as the Subjective Aim is achieved? It Perishes (Next!). It’s not this event it’s the Next event that matters.


Achieving Satisfaction Creates a Superject

The Diagrams from the Process Philosophy of Play:

A Superject is the satisfied Dog | Handler | Team’s consciousness that moves forward, on to the future for the Next novel Concrescent Opportunity. 


The video below is all cued up. It’s super clear. Enjoy the process…