The term double constraint is a translation specific to French of the concept of (“double bond”) developed by Gregory Bateson, Don D. Jackson, Jay Halley and John H. Weakland in 1956, and used thereafter in a way different by several from its authors. The ambition to clarify the concept of double constraint supposes to distinguish this name well from the phenomenon which it indicates.
Origin
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the expression “ double-contrainte ”, (indicated in an original manner like - “ double lien ” -), which rises from notions highlighted by the theories of the Communication and by the Cybernétique, is a central notion of the systemic Théorie. It was highlighted in 1956 by a team directed by Gregory Bateson in the article Towards a theory of schizophrenia .
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One uses in French the double expression bind , although its transposition in this language is more precise: " double contrainte" is an expression perfectly representative of the two constraints which are opposed, together with a third which prevents very left . Without this third constraint, it would be only one simple Dilemme, like that between the hunger and thirst, with a indecidability more-or-less large according to the intensity of the attractile ones.
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the illustrative example simplest of the double bind in psychology is a child of parents who separate or divorce. Like all the children, it has an emotional tie, existential with each of the two parents. The drama occurs when the parents brawl and require of the child an exclusive bond, requires that it cannot satisfy without there being for him contradiction with his intimate truth.
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to exert a “ double contrainte ” it is necessary and it is enough to two orders or determining injunctions for the physical and psychic existence to the subject. These two injunctions are incompatible. For these two injunctions impossible to satisfy simultaneously, it is necessary to add a third of it: to require the choice in an impossible situation of choice and which prohibits any refusal, and any comment on the nonsense of the situation. The double constraint is an effect of the communication, the “ pragmatique ”; apart from it, there would not be a double possible constraint. The “ pragmatique ” (relation between the signs and their effects) is one of the three ways of the practices of the communication with the “ sémantique ” (relation of the sounds - or meaning and of the directions) and the “ syntagmatique ” (relation of the signs between them).
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concept of “ double-contrainte ”, which applies to the field of the communication, refers however in an explicit way to the concept of Contrainte. For this reason, it is not limited to the only field of the communication.
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On the first physical level, the communication is the transmission of the electrical signals, physiological and of sound and light.
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At the psychic level, the communication is the pooling of the significances and values to form a human community.
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On the level symbolic system, the communication is the communion around the Croyance S of the Religion and the rules of the Morale.
Historical precise details
A shelf eternal
- At the 20th century, the school of Palo-Viola, carries lighting on new approaches the communication. For as much, concept of “double-constraint”, characterized by impossibility of choosing between two also obligatory and contradictory registers, does it describe a phenomenon strictly related to the 20th century? It is possible - even probable - that not.
- At the 17th century, Jean of the Fountain invites the men to revise their morals too often reducing
- At the 14th century, Jean Buridan synthesizes the same invitation to widen our sights by the famous parabola of the ass which would like but cannot choose between two also important needs!
- In Antiquity, Aristote sensitizes already its contemporaries with the trap of the double-constraint between the intelligence and the heart: The Fountain will abundantly draw from the cultural heritage of the ancient Greece. For the ass of Buridan between an oats bag and a water bucket, it is only one simple dilemma where it is necessary to choose in a more-or-less-large indecidability between the attractile ones of almost equal intensity. The dilemma has nothing to do with the double constraint which is a obligation to choose in a situation of impossible choice supplied with prohibition not to choose and to comment on the nonsense of the situation. There are frequent confusions between dilemma and double constraint, by taking one for the other.
Approaches scientific
General standard
The double-constraint, characteristic of the Rigidity, results from the voluntary or fortuitous comparison (by a mechanical Liaison_, a dialectical amalgam, an attitude of Communication,…) of two elements already related to the same third (machine element, implicit Point of view of, or clarifies…) by two other relations.
Methodological consequence (proposed like theorem)
Starting from a double-constraint, it is always possible to identify (in the duration) - and at the very least to seek (in the immediate future) - a Trilogie of elements (machine elements, points of sights abstracted, relevant attitude,…) allowing to leave an apparently insoluble situation.
Theory of the contexts
The generalization of the scientific Méthode herebefore definite supposes preliminary modeling: it is difficult to handle abstract ideas without recourse to the tools of Communication Technique: the resolution of the double-constraint advantageously calls upon the Théorie of the contexts (approach resulting from the failure of the naive Théorie of the units).
The double-constraint in communication
Definition
One names double constraint a pair of paradoxical injunctions consistent in a pair of explicit natures or implicit respondents with somebody who cannot satisfy one without violating of them the other. The antipsychiatry of Laing and Cooper uses the name of knot (“node”) which evokes this situation of enfermement well. To bind ( bound ) means “to stick”, “to hang” incorporating two commands impossible to carry out with a third order which prohibits the refusal to obey and any comment on the nonsense this situation of order and counter-order in the unit of time and place. This prohibition is referred, then, to put in temporal sequence the execution of after the other.
Setting in situation of the phenomenon
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makes some, one wants to describe by this concept a frequent inter-human phenomenon, which can carry out in the extreme cases to the destruction or a blocking of the Communication.
- This situation gives rise to a will of escape. When this escape is not possible with direction clean of term (for example if one is economically or socially depend on the person intimating one of the two orders), the escape can take place in a certain number of Névrose S or Psychose S, among which the Schizophrénie. The mechanism was studied for the first time in 1950 by the school of Palo-Viola.
Examples
Mechanics
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Paradoxe of Langevin - So that there is “double constraint”, it is necessary and it is enough a third order which obliges to obey and which prohibits any comment on this situation absurdity. Without this third order, it would cause creativity and humor. Example, Albert Einstein solved the “paradox of Langevin” (Paul Langevin), where atomic clocks give different times when they move at different speeds and where Newtonian Physics affirms constant and absolute time everywhere. This resolution of the paradox of Langevin gave rise to Einsteinian Physics.
- Mechanical general (Newton, Einstein) - the mechanics of Newton, characterized by the use of a reference mark of Kepler, is it disqualified by the mechanics of Einstein? Not! the mechanics of Einstein supplements the mechanics of Newton for the not-terrestrial mechanical systems.
- Mechanical engineering (case of the “double-bearing”) - the double-constraint between two constructive elements is born from the simultaneous consideration (has “and” B) of the relations between 3 elements
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Generalization
Sociology applied
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Organization - “Communism” and “capitalism of state” - the reader eager to appreciate the double-constraint born of the impossible choice between these 2 elements, at the initial level of consideration of the page Planning, can refer usefully to the discussion) associated, of the from January 21st to 25th 2006, and at the conclusion proposed in the following paragraph to untie the situation.
- Education - Presentation of the " Double constraint of education ".
- Insurance S social - L'" ensured social" is constrained of cotiser at certain organizations and one asks him in addition to making proof of responsibility in his health expenditure.
- Wikipédia Site - France - Rigorism and double constraint relating to the key word Rigor .
Philosophy
A particular “use” of the double bind can be also quoted in the work of Jacques Derrida, and in that of its readers or “disciple” (Geoffrey Bennington, Paul de Man) and who knew a various fortune in the field of the Cultural studies in the United States.
The idea is that there is a variation, a vacuum, a passage, between the intention and the reception of the intention. It is the direction even of the Différance. If X writes a letter (the C-W communication is precisely the revealing one of this variation) with Y, the context and the intention of X will not be able to in no case to be perceptible with Y, it goes there from the Post office. Consequently the reading creates its own context. And Y can read the words of X well whereas X died.
It appears thus impossible that a text or a letter is out-context, and the quotation even can be made elsewhere only in another context. A statement exists if it can be repeated, in the otherness, which one names Itérabilité. This also shows that any production of text indicates implicitly that there is no absolute beginning, and thus not of Absolute which is not itself itérable, prone to be brought back to a former state.
This passion of Derrida for the text founds most of its work of Déconstruction. That is located in the serious one, the pun, the title, as many categories which implement than it calls the “double band”, or “smuggling”. The crystallization of the opposition which suciter could the déconstruction derridienne is very explicitly perceptible in the conflict which opposed it to the performative linguistic theory John Austin and of its disciple John Searle.
Communication
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a message and its negation - “Be spontaneous! ” - (of the messages of this type, otherwise more constraining, can produce an intolerable relational situation, without exit, leading even to the distress,…).
- Wikipédia/Dialog: Martin Buber place the human relation like an element prevailing of its philosophy. From there to show Dialog the ground of an opposition between the finalities human and intellectual (" creative Duel " ), there is only one step: it is the double constraint.
- an example used by Paul Watzlawick: a highway panel indicating " be unaware of this panneau". If the motorists take it into account, they are not unaware of it, and if they choose to be unaware of it, they take it into account.
- Inhibition - a mother offers two ties to her son: a red and green. His/her son carries the green one when it visits him the following day, the mother reacting as follows: “Why you put that one? She does not like it red? ”. Thus whatever the tie carried, the son will be in impossibility of satisfying his/her mother. It is another example given by Paul Watzlawick.
- Two languages (body and verbal) - the pair of paradoxical injunctions to horse on two levels of communications: a mother asks: “Don't Bah then, you embrace me? ”. The son is carried out but the mother reacts by a movement of stiffness and retreat. The verbal speech and the body speech are paradoxical and there is not average to satisfy one without being unaware of the other. It is the departure of the idea of Gregory Bateson by viewing its film taken in Bali. The child is taken between two orders and cannot obey the one without disobeying the other.
- Which is this a Paradoxe? Which are there the various types of paradox when is?
- a little humor, in this dialog: " you dredgers my sister? I will break you the figure! " " not, I do not pick up your sister " " no matter what is what it has my sister you finds it ugly? I will break you the figure! " " but not, it is very pretty your sister…. " " what would you like to pick up my sister?? but I will break you the figure!! " (a case of inhibition a little similar to the case of the 2 ties…. )
Literature
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an good example of the difficulty in including/understanding the concept of “double bind” is at Jorge Luis Borges, in its collection entitled the author. He imagines a country whose art of the cartography is at this point pushed with end, that the chart of the country recovers the country as a whole. This text is quoted by Michel Foucault at the beginning of his work the words and the things and caused at his place an original development of the concept of different Hétérotopie, or spaces, at the same time in space and out of space
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At the robots, Vicious circle , Isaac Asimov
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Dostoievski uses the double constraint like architectonic, in particular for the idiot.
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William Styron (1979). the Choice of Sophie , ED. Gallimard, coll Folio, pp. 864-867.
Cinema
- Psychosis (film) (Alfred Hitchcock)
- 2001, the odyssey of space (Clarke, Kubrick)
References
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