Testimony by Fred Abraham
Christine Hardy has proposed a bold, innovative
approach to the dynamics of meaning. Transcending the usual interdisciplinary
boundaries, she seeks to capture the real richness and complexity of self
and existence—from the individual mind, to its interactions with society
and the environment at large. Based on the concept of semantic constellations,
she introduces a novel cognitive architecture which can account for the
personal and collective dynamics underlying the construction of meaning.
Like Kristeva—though Hardy is not a postmodern
writer—her ideas center on both cognitive and emotional dynamical psychology,
while pointing to important avenues for social change. I suspect these
lines of inquiry will prove a popular direction for theorists who follow,
and will challenge us all to enrich our thinking. The transformation and
broadening of our mental frameworks comes with enormous responsibility.
To quote Hardy: "Collectively, we co-create our culture and civilization,
we inform the future of humanity." It is time we took this responsibility
seriously.
8/10/98