USES OF METHODOLOGY
This section on Methodology covers the three sorting archetypes Homology, Analogy and Dichotomy. Having read through this set of thirteen pages (each concept being covered on a single page), then try some of the following suggestions (or do similar things that will also illustrate the appropriate points). Take any of the premises and apply them to a situation of interest to you. The situation might involve anything from some small thing in the here and now, to larger considerations in wider venues.
To practice using Methodology, look for things to compare and contrast. When looking for Homology ask yourself what aspects are “the same”, and to what extent (how much variation is acceptable within “sameness”)? Do the same kind of exercise for Dichotomy – in what respects are things different, and to what extent? Try a comparison in which some aspects are the same, others different. Try a contrast in which some aspects are different, others the same. Consider how often sameness and differences might just be considered parts of an Analogous continuum. How much similarity and difference can be accepted in an analogy?
Do an exercise in which the same set can be aggregated into one group, disaggregated into a number of groups, or stretched along a variable dimension, depending on which characteristics are used. Then consider the aesthetics of categories. Is sameness more “harmonious” than differences? Does analogy allow for more range of expression than either homology or dichotomy? Questions like this, if carefully formulated and directed, might reveal patterns of behaviour or output never before noticed. Hold these lessons for future reference. After some practice with each, strive to be a reflective practitioner by applying the three core methodological parameters either simultaneously or concurrently to whatever you are trying to categorize.
