Bernard Lonergan’s Theory of Functional Specialties

Knowing as Process: Lonergan’s Cognitive Theory

• NOT simply “taking a look at what’s there”• NOT simply “reporting what I feel about something”• 4-fold Process:

– Experience: data of sense / data of consciousness– Understanding: interpreting data of sense / data of

consciousness– Judging: the accuracy and adequacy of understandings of data

of sense / data of consciousness – Deciding: the spiritual, intellectual, moral, behavioral,

affective implications of accurate and adequate judgments

Lonergan’s Cognitive Theory Applied to Inquiry

• The Notion of Functional Specialties: division of labor in the intellectual life

• Discourse “in oratione obliqua” [investigation of past intellectual positions]– Research: corresponds to experience– Interpretation: corresponds to understanding– History: corresponds to judgment– Dialectic: corresponds to decision

• Conversion as Transformation of Horizon:– Complementary horizons: perspectives within a single

thoughtworld– Genetically related horizons: successive stages of one

aspect (discipline/field) of a thoughtworld– Dialectically opposed horizons: negation and rejection

of [an]other thoughtworld[s]

• Conversion as Applicable to Varying Dimensions of the Human:– Intellectual: from knowing as “taking a look” or

“introspection” to critical realism – Moral: from attraction/repulsion to value[s]– Religious: from “closed” (nature / human) to “open”

(spiritual / God) thoughtworld

• Discourse “in oratione recta” [generation of present/future positions]– Foundations: corresponds to decision– Doctrines: corresponds to judgment– Systematics: corresponds to understanding– Communications: corresponds to experience