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
factor of distinction of the integral manifestation, 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 of a higher level.
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 factor of
distinction of the integral manifestation.
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 that 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 the two 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
section 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.
