We are surrounded by so many beings, forms, phenomenons in every moment of our lives. The need to figure out our way among them is a major human desire. Usually, this need for seeing through manifests as categorization. Defining categories is one of the most natural ways of human understanding. For this classification, there are two major distinct approaches.

1. Dividing into levels.

We find collective terms for entities that share common characteristics.

2. Recognizing units present at all levels.

Finding units that are generating multiplicity by different mixture ratios.

This sounds quite mm… – my fault. But let me give you a quick and simple example. Let’s do the following exercise:

Find a generic term for the following lists.

1. cat, fish, bear, elephant, crab, dog, parrot, ant, …
2. copper, pigeon, pink, strawberry, beautician, bathroom, …

Solution for list no. 1 is … animal.

Solution for list no. 2 is… not that simple, isn’t it? There is obviously something in common for all those terms like beautician, bathroom, strawberry, pink… Something that is present in all of them. Your solution might be beautiful, maybe feminine. Which are very close, but still can be considered other terms for our list.

In our first example it was easy to figure out that they all belong to the common term of animal. Similar to this we are categorizing the so many various levels of our surroundings. These collective terms depict what we call division into levels.

Information is present first.

For the second example we need some sort of reduction. This reduction has to end in one single term, one sole unit that bounds them and is present in each of them. This type of thinking is not very common in our actual mentality. The materialistic era that we live in shows us only the classification by levels. It is common to say that at first there is the stone and man figures out the word ’stone’ for it afterwards. Similarly, the ‘idea of stone’ is supposed to show up afterwards. Modern science seems to recognize that this might not be so true. It is information that is present first and generates the form.

Levels are organizing reality on horizontal. Generative information manifests vertically. We are used to the horizontal one, but it seems difficult the vertical one. We are not used to think vertically.

Recognizing informational units is the essence of vertical thinking.

Vertical thinking means recognizing the informational unit present at different levels. For now, let’s just say that multiplicity is built by a limited number of units. Recognizing these informational units is the essence of vertical thinking.

… they represent different qualities

We used the example of animals. In terms of vertical thinking, this means that different animals carry different informational units. The similitude here is in the quality. In our second example we had one animal, the pigeon as carrying the informational quality. Now compare it to a magpie or an eagle. Are they carrying the same quality? Think of those birds as symbols. What they suggest to you? They suggest different things, they represent different qualities. Now, if you return to my second example, in this way of thinking, you can find similitudes in qualities if you say pigeon, beauty, feminine etc.

Vertical thinking is a must learn.

Horizontal thinking is specific to what we call ’scientific approach’. Vertical thinking is much difficult to recognize. And it is not so common. Still, we can see it in non scientific ways of understanding ourselves and our lives like astrology, analytical psychology and other means. Although academic science is quite intolerant with non materialistic views, still, vertical thinking is a more promising approach and tool in the quest of self understanding and development.

Vertical thinking is a must learn for all who aspire for a healthy self development. But it can do much more for us. Let me give you here the suggestive thoughts on this of Ellynor Barz (in Gods and Planets):

“The collective unconscious is the pole opposite collective consciousness; following rationalization and demythologization, the pendulum swings back toward myth, mysticism and the esoteric. As is becoming increasingly evident, gradually penetrating collective consciousness, our confrontation and coming to terms with our own depths, with our unconscious, will be of decisive significance in deciding whether our world will be carried by the depths, or destroyed by them.”

Finally, I still live it suspense for now the solution for the second exercise. If you know the solution, don’t hesitate to give it by leaving a reply here.

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