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Friday, September 18, 2009

On the Levels of Cognitive Intepretation

What is the relationship between a Schema, a Hermeneutic, and a Paradigm?

Schema: Micro-level. Internal processing of the individuals mind to sort out stimuli and facts and put them into categorical, understandable wholes. Example: gender, race.

Hermeneutic: Individual-level. The method used by a specific individual to interpret events based on past experience and schema. Example: What is this text saying to me, subjective truths.

Paradigm: Macro-level. The method used by a society or group of people to interpret events based on collective human experience and knowledge. Example: Science, Philosophy, Theology.