Diagram Explained: Concept System, Diagram Network, and Knowledge Frameworks

The complexity of knowledge and its representation

Yesterday I applied the Ecological Formism Framework to explain the “Hierarchy” of knowledge diagrams. Today I will move to the theme of “Network” and discuss the complexity of knowledge.

The above diagram is an example of a “Network” of knowledge. It is very complicated!

Now we see the row of “Diagram” in a 6*4 table. The Ecological Formism framework is an epistemological framework that frames six units of analysis from four types of knowing. Since our primary focus is Diagrams and Diagramming, we could see the 6*4 table as the context of discussion.

What’s the relationship between the row of “Diagram” and other rows?

They both use the “Variant > Quasi-invariant > Invariant > Invariant Set” schema to define four types of knowing. However, there is no strict one-to-one correspondence between each row.

The “Concept” level is about the transformation between themes and concepts.

The “Framework” level is about the emergence of knowledge frameworks.

The “Diagram” level is about the External Visual Representations of knowledge frameworks.

The TST level (the “Thematic Space” level) is a middle level that connects “Activity” and “Framework”.

The “Activity” level is about different patterns of actions.

The “Affordance” level is related to the Operation level of Activity.

You can find more details in Social Moves: An Integrated Ecological Approach to Social Cognition.

This article will focus on the loose connections between Concept System, Diagram Network, and Knowledge Frameworks.

In the Ecological Formism Framework (v1.1), the “Concept” level only talks about the hierarchy of a single theme or a single concept. I use the term “Theme Network” and the term “Concept System” to describe their networks. In this article, I will use “Concept System” for the present…