Ambivalence and cognitive heuristics for dealing with ambiguity in complex social worlds

Abstract

Spanish

Based on our approach to complex dynamic systems, ambiguity of heuristics is a necessary tool to deal with objective ambiguity and complexity of the real world. I discuss various aspects of ambivalence of heuristics aimed to (a) decrease and (b) increase uncertainty in complex social worlds. Different kinds of asymmetry, paradoxes and contradictions in the creation and use of heuristics for diagnosis, prognosis, and control in social worlds are considered in such socially meaningful areas as stimulation and inhibition of others' development, translation of knowledge and masteries vs. keeping secrecy and ignorance, evaluation of humans' potential to create novelty, etc. Ambiguity of developmental paths related to objective uncertainty of real world, and to ambiguity of the heuristics used in main human activities is discussed.

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