Categories of Legitimate Reservations (CLR’s)
The concept behind
the CLR’s is they provide the methods and tool to scrutinize the entities,
entity statements and arrows between the entities themselves. The CLR’s can apply to ALL entities and tree within the TP stable.
Let’s begin with a
short review of the TP. The TP tools are
based upon two different type of logic for construction and verbalization. The first type of logic is Sufficiency Based
and implies that the arrow between two entities is sufficient to cause the
relationship of sufficiency between the two entities. In other words, it’s a
cause-effect-cause relationship between entities. From single cause statement can come many
different effects statements, with a minimum of one effect. What the arrow implies between two entities
is that the entity at the base of the arrow is “sufficient” to cause, or have
caused, the entity at the tip of the arrow.
The sufficiency arrow is read “if (the entity at the base of the arrow
exists), then (it is sufficient to cause the entity at the tip of the arrow to
also exist). The thinking tools associated with sufficiency include the Current
Reality Tree (CRT), Future Reality Tress (FRT) and, the Transition Tree (TT). The second type of logic is focused on Necessity. In other words, you are looking for the
“necessity” relationship between two entity statements. In determining necessity the arrow between
two entities is read “in order to have... (entity at the tip of the arrow), I
must have…(the entity at the base of the arrow). Necessity logic thinking includes the
Pre-Requisite Tree (PRT) and the Conflict Diagram (CD).
The important
take-away from the discussion above is the emphasis on the entities and arrows. The arrows are the binding element that holds
the trees together. If we get the arrows
and entities wrong, then there is high probability that the entire tree is
wrong! This is the important, and
distinctive, aspect of the CLR’s to help determine if the tree is logical and
correct. The CLR’s are used to validate
entity existence, causality existence, predicted effect existence, cause
insufficiency, additional cause, tautology and to insulate the arrows for correctness
and accuracy.
In logic we are dealing
with the relationships between entities therefore; the basic relationship is
defined as cause-effect-cause relationship.
This relationship is focused on the “causality” between the entities and
is expressed with an arrow between them.
Scrutinizing entities and arrows on a tree can be frustrating and very
time consuming but, also worth the effort.
Each of these seven
CLR categories has a purpose, and the best of expression for each category should
be applied to EVERY entity and arrow in a tree.
Let’s review the seven CLR’s for application and expected outcome for
the use.
ENTITY
EXISTENCE
For an entity to be
accurate and correct it must be expressed as a statement. Making a statement does not mean that the
entity statement is valid therefore; it must be scrutinized for its existence
in reality. If the entity does not exist
in reality it cannot be used as an entity in a logic tree.
The primary focus of
the entity existence reservation is to ask yourself “Does the entity, as
stated, exist in reality?” If it
doesn’t, then clarify the wording in the statement to reflect what reality
really is. As an example:
A B
In the A example
above it can easily be argued that the cause (base of the arrow) is NOT a
statement. If you try and read this
arrow using sufficiency and the “If…, Then…) it makes no sense. It should be replaced by a complete statement
that reflects reality and solidifies the arrow between the two entities. Example B provides such a statement.
It is worth noting
that in a negative tree, each entity MUST be scrutinized to its existence in
current reality. In a positive tree (Future
Reality Tree) when you are dealing with entities that do not or might not exist
yet, then this category of the CLR is only valid for those entities in the tree
which ARE NOT considered Actions.
CAUSALITY
EXISTENCE
Probably one of the most powerful reservation
checks is causality existence. This can
be accomplished by reading the arrow between two entities. Read the arrow by asking “If (cause)… Then
(effect).” Train yourself to read the
words EXACTLY as they are written. Avoid
the tendency to add words, or leave words out of the statements. If you add or delete words then it is only a
partial statement and needs to be changed to reflect what is really is.
Causality
existence reservations can occur when the “If…Then” statement appears acceptable
to one person but, not to another person.
In other words, one sees the connection, but the other person does
not. This situation does not mean that
the “cause” is not legitimate (valid), it just means that the cause must be
validated. This condition seems even
more pronounced when it is associated from the existence of a “cause” that
might not be verifiable. If such is the
case, how do you verify the existence of a “cause?” The most practical step is to verbalize
another “effect” that can come from the ventured “cause.” The verbalization of an additional effect
that comes from the cause is sufficient to verify causality existence. By being able to show the existence of,
minimum two, directly verifiable effects that come from the same cause, then
the cause is verified. In the example it could be argued by person (a
verbalized reservation) that the cause of “Sales are going down” is not
“Customer markets have changed”, but rather something else (the A example).
A B
By
being able to verify the existence of another “effect” (minimum two) stemming
from the cause, the cause is verified.
The effect could be verified by an increase in sales alternative
products within the current company, or perhaps from an increase in sales from
a competitor. However, this data may
prove much harder to get and verify.
PREDICTED EFFECT EXISTENCE
The predicted effect existence is used most
often to invalidate a cause. This can be
accomplished by surfacing any additional causes (minimum one) that must be
present in order for the cause to exist.
In other words, if the cause really does exist then, “What else would
you expect to see?” If your predicated
effect does not exist, and it should exist but, doesn’t then, the cause is not
really the cause. As an example, let’s walk through the following scenario.
A B
In
our example it states that “If the battery is dead (cause)…Then the car won’t
start (effect)”. The Predicted Effect Existence challenges the assumption that
the battery is dead. “If the battery is dead…then nothing electrical on the car
should work”. What we have listed are
several other “electrical” components that should also NOT WORK if the battery is really dead. If, in fact, these other electrical
components DO NOT work then,
is it highly probable the car battery is dead.
However, if any of these electrical components DO work, and work well then, it is highly probable that a
dead battery is not the reason the car won’t start. The Predicted Effect
Existence can quickly validate, or invalidate, a perceived cause. If the stated “cause” is invalidated it
swiftly points to the need to find another “cause” to achieve the “effect” of
why the car won’t start.
In our next posting we'll cover the remaining Categories of Legitimate Reservation (CLR) and then begin taking a closer look at our Thinking Process Tools..
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