Founded by FerkelTongs in 2001, the Tongs Institute of Self-referential Paradigms serves as a flaming beacon of important scientific work. Many of the Tongs are scientists of one kind or another, and the Institute attempts to answer the questions that the Tongs wonder about.
What is a Self-referential Paradigm?
A paradigm is "the generally accepted perspective of a particular discipline at a given time."
Any scientific discipline relies on the definitions of the terms it uses, to provide a common language of negotiation. If the major research questions within the discipline are themselves addressing these definitions then the discipline is based on a self-referential paradigm (SRP). For example, part of biology ('the study of living organisms') is concerned with elucidating what it is that makes something 'living'. Far from being a methodological flaw, SRPs allow cognitive reflection in a discipline, allowing it to examine itself. SRPs are a very powerful tool for understanding complex systems, and find many applications in practical matters.
- Um, is this too convincing? It started off as a joke but now I've half-convinced myself that it actually makes sense, which is very wrong. It should be obvious that this is complete nonsense from start to finish. -- f
- It amuses me because it makes as much sense as the stuff they used to teach me in social anthropology, which is to say it sounds like it makes sense, until you actually think about it. In social anthropology, though, they managed to stop you thinking about meaning by using very long words. -- r
Examples of disciplines based on SRPs include: AI, sociology, philosophy, biology, home economics.
Fun Department
- Research fun into FunResearch.
Language Department
- Research into innuendo and k-entendres. Project name InnuendoGland. Chief investigator LordMaderlock.
- Construction of the Universal Truth Matrix, which trades under the name WhatIsIt?
Class-Oriented Genetic Sex Experiments Department (COGSE)
- The Tongs are proud sponsors of Prof. Lucian Hart's LilyBody work.
Experimental Theology Department
- Research into the inner workings of subversive religious/quazi-religious organisations: GodSpot. Drafts of the new book TheJoyOfSects are available for review.
Experimental Finance Department
- The IndeterminateBank is an exciting spin-off company based on recent discoveries in economic theory.
Geography Department
- Knowing where you are is just the beginning of the problem. In an effort to get the bottom of things, the Tongs are fearlessly trying to compute the location of the semi-mythical TongsCentroid, from where, it is rumoured, all the world may be seen spread beneath your feet in a golden carpet.
Faculty
ProffessorPlumpkin, head of agricultural eugenics.
DrGranthemWombee, visiting lecturer in comparative diseases.
ProfessorLucianHart, head of COGSE and all-round cricketer.
Students
See TongScientists.