The breakthrough dialectical metasystemic advanced analysis and problem-solving methodology (DMAP) is also known by its originator, Otto Laske, as the dialectical thought form system (DTF).
Otto Laske, formerly of the Frankfurt School and Harvard, created this new analysis and problem-solving methodology. And his original work is known as the 28 dialectical thought forms DTfs. His trilogy of new books, Advanced Systems Level Problem-Solving, Volumes 1, 2, and 3, explains this breakthrough thinking methodology in detail and how to use it.
Other books are now coming out on this major advance in analysis and problem-solving, and they are covered in other pages off the main top navigation Learn link. But by far, this is the number one reading and training book we recommend at the Universe Institute.
Important tip: When reading Laske's books in relation to the DMAP application
Remember to keep some problem or issue in mind that you want to solve or analyze with DMAP when learning Laske's DTF methodology. When you go through each of the 28 dialectical perspectives of DTF methodology, ask yourself how that perspective and its nuances could relate to the analysis or problem you are trying to resolve.
Laske's work has three major applications. In his books, he spends considerable time discussing the consulting, coaching, and adult educational development aspects of his breakthrough. Patiently read through how this methodology is applied to consulting, coaching, and adult social emotional development in the first two books. You will be rewarded with essential subtleties and nuances regarding the 28 dialectical perspectives that will pay off later as you begin practicing DMAP with a broad understanding of how it developed and can be used.
He spends less time on the DMAP analysis and problem-solving applications when applied to complex adaptive systems.
His book 3 in the series is particularly applicable to DMAP. His earlier two books in the series lay the foundations for DTF, where it came from, and why the ability to think dialectically with the 28 perspectives is more critical today than ever.
By keeping your problem or analysis in mind and starting to explore and solve it while reading each of the 28 dialectical perspectives, you will quickly see the applicability and power this methodology offers you and the future.
Finally, although Laske's three instructional books are a bit expensive, they are not expensive when you take into consideration that to get to the top in any field, one must invest in high-quality training. In highly competitive nations like Japan, Laske's books on this advanced thinking methodology are becoming best sellers in their niche category.
Short Book Review
Suppose you work in a think tank, in a government intelligence agency, in long-term corporate planning, or you are a senior-level corporate executive who wants to master the most advanced problem-solving breakthrough using dialectical meta-systemic analysis. In that case, you want to start with Advanced Systems-Level Problem Solving, Volumes 1-3.
Once in every great while, there is a true breakthrough in human thinking and analysis. The Greeks had their logic. In the 1960s, modern society developed its system theory and other indispensable data analysis tools.
Today, in the 21st century, we have a breakthrough new way to do dialectical, meta-systemic thinking and analysis found in a new book designed for beginners using Dialectical Thought Forms (DTF) to amplify your cognitive skills. (The book will explain what DTFs are.)
I can think of nothing that humanity's future needs more at this critical juncture than more people able to use this meta-systemic dialectical thought and analysis tool.
I strongly recommend you read the foreword I wrote for the book further down the page and watch the video linked further down the page. Those two items will give you a strong sense of how you can improve your life, analysis skills, and the world using this new tool.
This book will be a challenge, but the rewards for the effort invested will be astonishing.
About Advanced Systems-Level Problem Solving, Volumes 1-3
This three-volume set introduces the practice of advanced, ‘dialectical’ systems-level problem-solving in both the social and natural sciences. In social science, it opens new vistas regarding organization, strategy, and work design. In the natural sciences, it provides missing conceptions of physical systems in peril due to the climate and other crises.
In addition, the author draws essential conclusions for advancing generative AI.
This book presents novel conceptual tools that directly impact the internal structure of a systems analyst’s mental processing in real time. While the first volume lays the theoretical groundwork for dialectical systems analysis, the second, focusing on the nature of work, lays bare the structure of complex thinking regarding the ‘thought forms’ it requires. To facilitate a better understanding of the principles taught in the first two volumes, the third volume provides a Manual of Dialectical Thought Forms, which is the only one in existence today.
Volumes one through three are currently available on Amazon here.
About the Author
Otto Laske is a multidisciplinary consultant, scholar, teacher, and coach known for his cutting-edge work in social science methodology and his rekindling of dialectics, an ancient form of complex systems analysis.
He is the author of many books and articles on how to boost and measure thought maturity and ‘vertical’ adult development, detailing their impact on work delivery and teamwork in organizations. Dr Laske is a specialist in the assessment of thought and work complexity. He is the Founder and Director of the Interdevelopmental Institute (IDM), Gloucester, MA, USA (www.interdevelopmentals.org).
Here is a Video discussing Dialectical Metasystemic Thinking Processes and its Originator's life, Otto Laske, by Leading Students
The beginning of this video provides a detailed explanation of how the step-by-step process of dialectical metasystemic thinking is used for advanced climate change research analysis. Other individuals he has trained also praise the value of this new thinking, analysis, and decision-making breakthrough.
Foreword to Laske's new three-volume set.
Written by a member of the Universe Institute and the Universe Institute and Job One for Humanity climate change think tanks.
If you want to get to know someone and what has profoundly influenced them, I have found that asking them about the five best books they have ever read achieves that goal. Otto Laske's three new books (particularly Advanced Systems-Level Problem Solving, Volume 3: The Manual of Dialectical Thought Forms) are among the five best books I have ever read. These books have profoundly influenced my life and research work.
I am a researcher at an independent climate change think tank. I first heard about Laske's books from an evolutionary theorist from Australia. I trusted his judgment because he was doing original and breakthrough work far ahead of his more established peers.
Even though I have had training in logic and systems theory, it was not until I read Laske's unique work on advanced dialectical thinking that the quality of my research analysis took a huge step forward. When applied to studying human capacity and cognitive development, Laske's Dialectical Thought Form Framework (DTF) has been widely discussed, so I will not add more.
DTFs comprise four modes ('moments') of advanced dialectical thinking, each associated with seven thought forms, which creates 28 unique ways of seeing a situation, idea, or problem. While I cannot possibly illuminate the complexity of DTF in a foreword, I can give you a good idea of what it does.
I use DTF in my climate analysis work. I use it to produce reasonably accurate predictions for the consequence timeframes to allow better management of our climate change future.
Before I go ahead and outline my multi-step process for using Laske's advanced DTF breakthroughs, it will be helpful to share a metaphor to prepare you for what you are about to read. Imagine an individual with a good grasp of logic. This cognitive skill level would be comparable to seeing the world at a computer screen resolution of 420 dots per inch (DPI). If that same individual became proficient in systems theory, they would then begin to see their world at a computer screen resolution of about 1040 DPI. This higher resolution would increase their vision of relevant details by more than double.
Now, imagine an individual proficient in logic and systems theory also becoming skilled in DTF. They would see relevant details at the computer screen resolution of 4,120 DPI. This individual would have an exponential advantage, and most people would agree that the more relevant detail one can see positions them to understand that situation significantly better than someone who cannot see that higher level of relevant detail.
There is far more to the Laske DTF thinking and analysis breakthrough. My climate research and analysis process should help you see its potential and the many benefits for your life and work.
To use Laske's DTF breakthrough, the first thing I do is to get fully present. Next, I buried myself in the current climate research, about 20,000 pages, and made hundreds of notes. Even with DTF tools, there is no shortcut to the hard work of immersing yourself and learning the raw data.
As I do that reading, my logical thinking left brain starts linking different areas of the climate information and generating some core analysis concepts. Because of my systems thinking background, I do not see the climate systems and subsystems as independent silos of data as most single specialty climate researchers do for areas such as oceans, atmosphere, soils, water vapor, sea ice, permafrost, etc. I see the climate systems and subsystems synergistically and cumulatively as interdependent, interconnected, and continually interacting.
The previous analysis draws a new set of preliminary conclusions, predictions, and questions. I am now at the DTF jumping-off point where the "magic" begins.
I take my most developed level of conclusions, predictions, and questions and subject them to the 28 mind-opening questions of DTF. These questions cover 28 powerful and highly nuanced dialectical ways of seeing the information.
Each mind-opening question and each new dialectical way of seeing opens up more new questions and illuminates connections, omissions, and patterns I would never have noticed had I not subjected my conclusions, predictions, and questions to the rigors and reality testing of DTF's 28 mind-opening questions.
In this step of the process, I experience a tremendous surge of new climate cognitions. I spot and eliminate false perceptions and conclusions quickly. I discovered previously undisclosed or "invisible" absences, and even misleading or incorrect facts emerge from the climate data and analysis.
As great as the 28 mind-opener questioning process is, what happens next is an unparalleled new level of cognition that was previously unattainable using logic and systems thinking alone. The deeper potentials of the DTF process are about to reveal themselves.
At this point, I withdraw entirely from my intense immersion in the climate materials and the 28 mind-opening questions. I work on other projects. Then, suddenly and unpredictably, I begin experiencing new climate data epiphanies, even chains of epiphanies. These right-brain climate epiphanies come randomly and often in quick succession as almost fully completed solutions, original ideas, or questions. These wonderful DTF-inspired epiphanies can occur anywhere or anytime while riding my mountain bike, showering, and even sleeping. And yes, they do wake me up.
As these epiphanies occur, I scramble to note everything in these intense flashes of spontaneous insight. These insights regularly appear as new ideas and questions that would never have been explored had I not also engaged the critical right-brain elements of Laske's advanced dialectical thinking process.
Laske's advanced DTF process opens up and expands access to the right brain's massive, underutilized bandwidth, which is ordinarily or minimally inaccessible within the focused, fixed stare of left brain logic and systems theory modes of thinking. Before DTF, I had never experienced such an abundance of profound insights, epiphanies, and original ideas and questions. Laske's DTF work is truly indispensable for capturing the detailed evolution of moments of reality in transition. DTF captures rich contexts, complex relationships, and the process of moments in continual transformation.
Without Laske’s advanced DTF tool, our climate change think tank could not have successfully influenced the climate change understanding of thousands of individuals, numerous environmental groups, and insurance companies worldwide that require accurate climate data and predictions to manage risk and loss.
Laske's advanced DTF has allowed our think tank to better see the many climate systems more as dynamically open systems in the making. It has also allowed us to discover what was absent from the past analysis of climate systems or interfered with the emergence of stable climate systems.
DTF generates deep left and right brain integration, balancing, and original thinking, which is, unfortunately, rare today. Laske's DTF work unlocks the unseen, what is and what is not, and even more importantly, what could be and what should be in ways one can hardly conceive until one has personally experienced DTF for themselves.
Laske’s DTF is indispensable for anyone doing think tank research, general research, long-term corporate planning, corporate management, or critical analysis at intelligence agencies. It is equally indispensable for politicians who must make decisions in an increasingly complex world and for those who advise them.
If Crick and Watson had understood DTF, they would have discovered DNA far sooner. If corporations like Google, Apple, and Microsoft had DTF-trained high-level staff, their global development would be considerably more advanced. Because of the DTF breakthrough, there is now a future where AI programmers and regulators who understand it can keep AI safe and exponentially increase its effectiveness, and where senior medical staff can use DTF to crack scores of previously unsolvable medical cases.
Being proficient in DTF is not just for individuals. It is essential to humanity's collective well-being, leadership, and humanity to have a livable future. It is not unreasonable to imagine that someday, anyone unskilled in DTF would not be allowed to hold positions of power where their bad decisions could cause widespread harm.
Using DTF will empower you to stand out from your peers with exponentially enhanced problem-solving capabilities. As a bonus, you get to enjoy chains of epiphanies punctuated by original thinking that will quickly get noticed. It is well worth investing time and effort to deep-read Laske's new books.
But becoming proficient in DTF will be real work. Look up every unknown word and foreign language idiom Laske uses. Laske's concept-dense paragraphs are pregnant with essential nuances that can be unveiled only through careful and attentive thought and right-brained processing.
Laske's DTF brings much new hope for the future. DTF provides the structure for establishing meta-theories (as I do in my climate work) and solves complex problems (as our climate think tank does in offering workable climate solutions.) Because of DTF's advanced cognitive expanding power, it is not hard to envision more DTF users becoming motivated, highly effective agents working to resolve the global issues that beset humanity at this challenging point in history.
There could be a future ahead of us where humanity's DTF-enhanced grasp of the complexities of moment-to-moment reality will eventually facilitate the collective creation of a more equitable, safe, and just world for ALL.
Laske's DTF work facilitates and completes the critical last step in human cognitive development. It takes us from common sense, understanding, and reason to exponentially expanding practical wisdom. The long-term legacy of Laske's work may be that it identifies practical and effective ways of overcoming the current limitations in human cognition through understanding and using DTF. Someday, in the not-too-distant future, universities that teach post-grad students the DTF tools will be widespread.
In exploring DTF, I also learned much about human capacity and maturity levels and a far more powerful tool for advanced dialectical analysis. If not for Laske's DTF work, I also would have never been exposed to Roy Bhaskar's dialectical Critical Realism. This exposure has dramatically expanded my understanding of the ultimate limits of certainty surrounding scientific methodology and its results.
I am profoundly grateful for the work Laske has given the world through his development of the Dialectical Thought Form Framework. I sincerely hope that you also will soon experience chains of epiphanies on the issues most important to you.
Lawrence Wollersheim
Climate Researcher at Job One for Humanity and
The Universe Institute Think Tanks
Where you can get the Three New Advanced Systems level Problem Solving books bt Laske from Springer Books
These three new volumes replace Otto Laske's Measuring Midden Dimensions of Human Systems volumes one and two, now out of print except for the German version.
You can get them from Amazon here.
Or, you can get them directly from the publisher below.
Volume 1: [https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-40332-3],
Volume 2: [https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-40985-1] and
Voluem 3: [https://link.springer.com/book/10.1007/978-3-031-40339-2]
About Laske's two original publications
Laske's two older books below concern two quite different strands of adult development: social-emotional (volume 1) and cognitive (volume 2), and that developmental science has not advanced to the point of connecting these two using dialectical thinking (as Laske did in the Pabst and Springer publications). The remaining scientific issue is that we lack deep research about how the social-emotional and cognitive aspects of complex thinking relate to each other.
It is important to note that viewing the development of dialectical thinking as a purely ‘cognitive’ issue, i.e., out of context with social-emotional development and psychological profile, as now done, is a mistake since one cannot take ‘thinking’ out of the larger context in which ‘thinking’ develops. While this is currently being done in developmental science, it is an immature viewpoint.
Be sure to get the Springer new three-volume set and Measuring Hidden Dimensions, The Art and Science of Fully Engaging Adults, Volume 1. Please also note that in the book Superintelligence (described further up the page), one can see to an interesting degree the development of an individual who has learned dialectical metasystemic thinking, the interweaving of their cognitive and social-emotional development, and the expression of their psychological profile.
Laske's original and critical "companion" book to Measuring Hidden Dimensions of Human Systems, Vol 2.
Otto Laske's second book, Measuring Hidden Dimensions, The Art and Science of Fully Engaging Adults, Voluem 1, has been found very useful for understanding human development and capacity and how it relates to DMAP.
(To clarify, the new 3 Springer books described above, which replace the out-of-publication, Measuring Hidden Dimensions of Human Systems Vol 2, do not contain the materials of Laske's earlier book, Measuring Hidden Dimensions, The Art and Science of Fully Engaging Adults.)
Laske’s work on dialectical metasystemic thinking is based on the insight that cultivating complex thinking is not an exclusively cognitive issue but also presupposes a social-emotional and psychological component. Laske has magnificently outlined the social-emotional component, which has to do with the level of personal maturity a person has reached, in his ‘volume 1’, entitled Measuring Hidden Dimensions, The Art and Science of Fully Engaging, a work in which he also details the psychological component which has to do with the self-conduct, approach to tasks, and emotional intelligence of the thinker.
Unfortunately, developmental science has not caught up with Laske in that it treats cognitive adult development exclusively as cognitive rather than as a developmental issue.
If you want to become highly proficient and masterful in DMAP, understanding and improving your social-emotional level or IQ is essential! Our organization strongly recommends you also buy and read this book when you buy the three new Springer Publishing versions of the original and out-of-print Measuring Hidden Dimensions of Human Systems, Vol. 2.
How to get “Volume 1”, the social-emotional development component of dialectical metasystemic thinking.
This book is published separately by Pabst Science Publisher.
In German: https://www.abebooks.com/9783958538245/Potenziale-Menschen-erkennen-wecken-messen-395853824X/plp
You might be able to get a used copy of this book on Amazon here.
The original DTF manual
Below is the cover of Otto Laske's first book on the new methodology. It is no longer being published, and it's been replaced with Laske's three new books on DTF and DMAP described above.
However, in the Spring of 2022, Wolfgang Pabst, the German science publisher, will bring out a complete reprint of DTFM (in English) and of MHD volume 1, subtitled ‘The Art and Science of Fully Engaging Adults,’ a refinement of R. Kegan’s social-emotional thinking.
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