2.1.3 |
DIMENSIONAL MANIFESTATIONS |
If the field belonging to an integral manifestation of
exclusivism is, or can be, divided into two or more parts,
classes or sections on the basis of the integral manifestation's
factor of distinction, then the manifestations of exclusivism
pertaining to any of these parts, classes or sections can be
labeled "dimensional manifestations". The objects of the dimensional
manifestations belonging to the same field together
determine the dimension of the object, or types of object, of
the integral manifestation. It is on the basis of the factor
age, for instance, that juveniles and adult, young human
beings can be distinguished from middle age and old ones.
Exism with respect to age is age-based exclusivism
(X.297.1). Exism with respect to any of these four groups is, then, a
dimensional manifestation of age-based exism, such as old-age-centered
exclusivism (X.297.73). In this example the subdivision is
tetratomic, but the classification of dimensional manifestations
allows for any kind of subdivision: dichotomous, trichotomous,
tetratomic or higher. A reason to differentiate four age groups
is that, supposedly, the social categorization on the basis of
age generally comprises these four groups. But in the event that
three or five groups would be a better approximation, three
dimensional or five dimensional manifestations of age-based
exclusivism might be distinguished in place of, or besides, the
four mentioned.
If only two dimensional manifestations are distinguished,
they will be called "dichotomous manifestations"; if three,
then "trichotomous manifestations"; if four, then "tetratomic
manifestations". Dichotomous manifestations are either 'lateral'
or 'disjunctive'. They are lateral if it is possible to
belong to both classes, or to have both qualities, distinguished
on the basis of the integral manifestation's factor of distinction.
They are disjunctive if the predicates or systems distinguished
are mutually exclusive, that is, cannot be combined.
Exism with respect to left-handedness (X.578.50), for instance,
is a lateral manifestation of handedness-based exclusivism
(X.578), because a human being can be 'both left- and right-handed'
or ambidextrous. Similarly, exism with respect to
homosexuality (X.4671.50) is a lateral manifestation of relative
orientational erotic exclusivism (X.4671), because a human being
can love, or make love with, both somebody of
'er own and of the
opposite sex. On the other hand, exism with respect to a
mentally disabled person as mentally disabled person (X.4877.14)
is a disjunctive manifestation of mental ability-based person-centered
exclusivism (X.4877), because a person either has a
mental disability on this view, or not. (Those who make the
distinction must draw a line between health and disability
somewhere.) The other disjunctive manifestation of the same
dimension (X.4877) is exism with respect to a mentally healthy
person or mentally healthy people (X.4877.15).
If a lateral manifestation pertains to one of two possibly
conjunctive, complemental 'fields' (like that of left-handedness,
or that of right-handedness), it will be called "a
complemental manifestation". Complemental manifestations are
situated on the lowest lateral level. Their object is solely one
class or characteristic quality, or solely the complement of
this class or quality (in the field as determined by the exism
on the unitary or compositional level). Complemental exclusivism
is a form of unilateral exclusivism. A unilateral exism like
single-handedness-related exism can be either complemental like
single-handedness-based exism or 'supercomplemental' like
single-handedness-centered exism. The object of a supercomplemental
(manifestation of) exclusivism is either the one or the other
class or quality which is a separate object of one of the
complements. Any dimensional manifestation which is of the
-related form (with number x) can be further subdivided
into a -centered form (with number 2x) and a -based
form (with number 2x+1).
Finally, a lateral exclusivism is either unilateral or
bilateral. Bilateral exclusivism is the conjunctive exism of
which the object is the combination of both qualities which are
the separate objects of the complements, or of which the object
is the class of things having both these qualities. An example
of this is again ambidexterity-centered exclusivism (X.578.13).
(A complete list of the lateral manifestations of this form of
laterality-based exism will be given in 2.3.4.).
To discover or clarify the implications of a complemental or
disjunctive manifestation of exclusivism, it may be very useful
to apply the method of dichotomous substitution. This technique
requires the consistent substitution of the (name of the)
object of a complemental or disjunctive exism for (the name of)
its complement or contrary. (It should be most illustrative when
applied to a whole book, play or film suffering from androcentrism,
gynocentrism or some other strain of dichotomous exclusivism.)
By thus generating a mirror image the existence and
exclusivity of a complemental or disjunctive exism can be
demonstrated, with its implication. Moreover, those who believe,
or pretend to believe, that a distinction is made on the basis
of a relevant factor will (if maintaining that their exclusion
or exclusivity is not exclusivistic) be more urgently forced to
make it plausible that the distinction concerned is relevant to
a legitimate goal.
Three examples of a dichotomous substitution of names are:
- re complemental handedness-based exism (X.578.25):
Replace left- by right-handed and vice versa. For
example, i hate their left-handedness (in the sense of
insincerity) is reflected in i hate their right-handedness
(which is not used in the sense of insincerity)
- re complemental gender-based exism (X.528.25):
Replace man by woman, he by she, and so on,
and vice versa. For example, I thank thee, O Father Lord of heaven
and earth is reflected in I thank thee, O Mother Lady of
heaven and earth
- re the disjunctive manifestations of religiousness-related
person-centered exism (X.2507.7):
Replace religious (if referring to religious people as
people) by irreligious, and vice versa. For example,
freedom of religion (in the sense of freedom for people
adhering to a religious denomination) is reflected in
freedom of irreligious denominationalism (in the sense of
freedom for people adhering to an irreligious denomination).
In order to make it easier to discern the various, actual or
potential, dimensional manifestations of an integral exism,
figure F.2.1.3.1 shows them all together
in a cladogram.
Each kind of manifestation in this cladogram is preceded by its
binary-decimal number. These numbers can solely be assigned to
exclusivisms and not to their antitheses, for all dimensional
manifestations of one integral exclusivism are antithetical to
the same facet of inclusivity. This is the facet antithetical to
the integral exism itself, because within the totality of an
integral exism and its dimensional manifestations there is only
one criterion of subdivision (from which the emergence of two or
more classes or predicates is the result). A parallel dichotomization
or nondichotomous subdivision of the facet of inclusivity
antithetical to the integral exism concerned would not make
sense. Since it had to be founded in exclusivist criterions it
would be self-contradictory.
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