Edgar Morin’s theory of complex thinking

Edgar Morin’s theory of complex thinking highlights the need to develop reflexivity, which allows connecting the different perspectives or planes of reality. This, in turn, allows us to have well-formed opinions about the information we receive.

The need to contrast the information received before considering it true seems logical. However, There are times when it is difficult for us to adopt different perspectives, granting the category of absolute speed to certain information. Thus, let’s know what this author’s proposal is to develop complex thinking.

Who is Edgar Morin?

He is a French philosopher and sociologist of Sephardic origin.. He was born in Paris on July 8, 1921. His birth name is Edgar Nahum. From a young age he began to be interested in philosophy, which led him to read key authors of the Enlightenment.

He joined socialism thanks to the support of the Popular Front and the Spanish republican government in the Spanish Civil War. In 1940, he fled to Toulouse to help refugees after the invasion of Nazi Germany, while continuing to delve deeper into Marxist socialism and, finally, in 1941, he joined the French Communist Party, but was expelled from the party in 1952, the year in which was admitted to the National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). Morin has published more than thirty books.

What is the theory of complex thinking?

The notion of “complex thinking” refers to the ability to connect different dimensions of reality. Reality is a fabric composed of an infinite number of fabrics; On the other hand, the structure of reality becomes increasingly complex as society advances. Therefore, to have a well-founded opinion about any event or event in reality It is necessary for the person to reflect on everything that makes up each event..

For Morin, the world constitutes an inseparable whole and cannot be understood without understanding each of its parts and the global composite it forms. Thus, Complex thinking has a globalizing function that tries to encompass all perspectives to understand reality.

If we focus only on one perspective, it must be studied in a complex and global way; Dividing it into small parts to facilitate its study, the field of action of knowledge is limited.

However, this reflective capacity is not innate. Complex thinking is developed and trained. Edgar Morin believed that education should be aimed at promoting reflexivity in students.

The seven knowledge necessary for the education of the future: how to develop complex thinking

The education of students cannot be based only on the radical acceptance of the information offered to them. This should be aimed at promoting the use of the scientific method to verify the veracity of the information and to generate alternative explanations.

Therefore, in 1999, Morin proposed the seven basic knowledge or principles for the education of the future. These were published by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Let’s find out what they are.

1. An education that cures blindness knowledge

All knowledge carries the risk of error and illusion. Human knowledge is fragile and exposed to errors of perception or judgment and disturbances.

Thus, The first task of education is teach to be critical of one’s own knowledge to be able to detect and correct errors in knowledge, while teaching them to live with their own ideas.

2. An education that guarantees relevant knowledge

Given the enormous flow of information, it is necessary discern what valuable information is. We must pay attention to truthful information with scientific support, just as we must pay attention to information that can help us solve problems.

General intelligence is built from existing knowledge and its criticism. Its fundamental configuration is the ability to pose and solve problems.

3. Teach the human condition

To know the human being is to place him in the universe and, at the same time, separate him from it. That is to say, To know the human being, we must contextualize it: what we are is inseparable from where we are, where we come from and where we are going.

4. Teach the earthly identity

Human history began with a diaspora, producing an enormous diversity of languages, religions and cultures. However, it should not be forgotten that all people of all races and ethnic groups, despite their differences, are part of the same humanity.

In modern times there has been the technological revolution that allows us to know in depth and connect with other cultures to promote development. However, this development cannot be limited to the economic sphere, but must also extend to intellectual, emotional and moral development.

5. Face the uncertainties

Uncertainty is part of life and knowledge. History, like biological evolution, is not a linear process, but rather it makes its way through shortcuts and can suffer deviations, stagnation and, sometimes, returns to the starting point.

There is also uncertainty about the validity of knowledge and about our own decisions.. Once we make a decision, a series of actions and reactions are triggered that affect the global system and that we cannot predict. We have been educated in a system of certainties, but education for uncertainty is susceptible to improvement.

6. Teach understanding

Understanding is a crucial skill for humans. Thus, Education must address understanding directly and referring to the understanding of both the same group and other different groups.. The latter is always threatened by the lack of understanding of the ethical codes of others, of their rites and customs, of their political options.

According to Morin, The great enemies of understanding are selfishness, ethnocentrism and sociocentrism.. Teaching understanding means teaching not to reduce the human being to one or several of its qualities, which are multiple and complex.

7. The ethics of the human race

The teaching of universal ethics is a requirement. In addition to promoting individual ethics, a “group ethic” should be encouraged that teaches the group to act morally with other groups.

For Morin, The greatest exponent of the teaching of ethics is to make democracy the common system of all countries. This implies consensus and acceptance of democratic rules, but it also requires diversities and antagonisms.

Complex thinking, yes, but without limiting ourselves

The theory of complex thinking is not without criticism: There are those who criticize its lack of scientific rigor and those who classify this way of thinking or seeking the truth as “anything goes.” as a weak form of epistemological relativism.

Furthermore, having to combine the different perspectives of reality and question the information received, instead of accepting it as valid, without contrasting it, is interpreted as a way of interpreting reality as if everything and always were uncertain.

As Aristotle said, virtue lies in the middle, and this case was not going to be the exception. Each moment, each circumstance and each fact will require a form of reality testing, a different decision-making method. Sometimes, we will need to use simpler thinking (due to lack of resources, cognitive efficiency…), while in others we will have to use complex thinking.

Learning this form of reflexivity can bring great benefits, as long as the teaching of other forms of thought is not left behind. Perhaps the best teaching is not to teach a single way of thinking considered perfect, but to teach multiple ways of thinking, At the same time, it is taught when and for what purpose to put each of them into practice.

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