SCF Structural Literacy Series 03 · Differentiation

Module 03

Differentiation


What changes when the pieces can remain distinguishable?

Return to

“Something is wrong.”

My stomach tightened. I’m afraid. My attention moved toward threat. This resembles something I’ve experienced before. My system is predicting rejection. My cognition is generating an explanation. I want to act.

Externally, all I actually know is

No reply has arrived.

Differentiation


Differentiation allows distinct sources of information and states to remain distinguishable while still remaining in relationship.

Differentiation is not elimination.

fearbody activation memoryprediction uncertaintythought desire to actexternal information

All of it remains present. None of it is removed, quieted, or overridden.

Nothing had to disappear.

What changed was the relationship between the information.

Instead of

“What does this mean?”

↓

Ask

“What is actually happening?”

The first question

begins with the assumption that the experience requires interpretation.

The second question

allows examination before interpretation becomes resolution.
Fear can remain fear.
Memory can remain memory.
Prediction can remain prediction.
Cognition can remain interpretation.
External evidence can remain external evidence.

They can interact without becoming interchangeable.

Differentiation creates degrees of freedom.

Fused organization

INPUT compressed experienced reality one dominant interpretation increasingly predetermined response

Differentiated organization

INPUT bodyemotionmemory predictioncognitionext. evidencecontext multiple possible responses

More possible relationships between information create more possible responses to the same input.

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