Fragmentation

Summary: This doctoral thesis examines David Bohm's distinction between thinking and thought, arguing that genuine creative thinking fosters freedom, while habitual thought leads to fragmentation and arbitrariness in scientific knowledge. It explores Bohm's use of metaphor and analogy to illuminate how affective bonds and contexts shape a physicist's worldview, and traces the enduring influence of these ideas on contemporary research.

Summary: This study examines how perceived differences in external threat between ideological groups within societies involved in intractable conflicts can increase affective polarization, revealing a mechanism through which internal fragmentation is exacerbated. The findings highlight the interplay between intergroup conflict and intragroup dynamics, offering insights into how such processes may perpetuate conflict.