Paradigm

A set of assumptions, concepts, values, and practices that constitutes a way of viewing reality for the community that shares them, especially in an intellectual discipline. [AHD 3]

Paradigm [Wiki]

A Paradigm is the Gestalt (organized whole) of the three main branches of philosophy that forms a “Weltanschauung" (German for 'Worldview')

Paradigm shift [Wiki]

Paradigms govern the behavior of nations, cultures, tribes and other collectives.  Collective paradigms consist of the blended personal paradigms that govern each individual member of the collective. 

Paradigms govern our response to all the situations that we encounter in life.  These situations include all the conditions, circumstances, events, beliefs, observations, thoughts, attitudes and other influences that effect our thinking, decisions and behavior in each moment.  For each situation our individual, personal paradigm dictates our emotions, feelings and attitudes: love or fear, right or wrong, safe or dangerous, happy or sad, etc. 

We and others interacting with us respond to the current situation as dictated by our personal paradigms.  Our response to the prior situation creates a new situation.  This automatic and continuous cycle is technically known as the OODA Loop: Observe, Orient, Decide, Act. 

Paradigms are learned from our parents, friends, teachers and general experience.  When a child’s paradigm does not recognize a situation, or it does not have a clear response, the child seeks to learn, to extend the paradigm, by observing the response of others.    Adults are rarely open to changing their paradigms. 

If an adult’s paradigm has no clear, definitive response to a situation then the person will feel confusion, uncertainty or fear.  In these situations the mind often plays tricks on us: it may change the appearance of the situation to something it does know about.  This is called delusion, and leads to inappropriate behavior.

A complete paradigm is one that has a clear, appropriate response to all situations that it can produce.  A complete paradigm is entirely self contained and consistent.  Complete paradigms do not exist naturally, although many people (especially righteous people) believe that their personal paradigm is complete.  People living in highly structured, dogmatic, isolated groups (e.g., a monastery) may be able to develop a limited, but complete paradigm.  Although this may produce a feeling of security and peace, it is not a natural condition.  (A similar technical concept is the Markov Chain) 

When we are being polite or formal we stay away from the parts of our paradigm where situations may be unclear or taboo.  Conversely, in very casual or intimate settings we may deliberately explore these unrefined parts.

When we interact with people who hold a different paradigm we may encounter situations  and responses that do not match our expectations.  This opens a hole in our paradigm, making it incomplete where it had been complete, before.  If we do not repair the hole we will feel off balance or anxious, which may cause us to respond negatively to these people.  When we are open to learning we can observe these new situations and responses, and repair the hole by allowing our paradigm to expand to include them.  That is, we add new situations and responses to our paradigm, or we extend the allowed response patterns for already “known” situations.