AND HOW DO YOU SPELL THAT?

The term Forth Position evolved from discussions between Forth founder Thomas Gallagher and his father Dale in fall of 1989. Dale, now a Master Practitioner of Neuro Linguistic Programming (one among the many credits, degrees, and distinctions he has achieved), had recently come in contact with the NLP Theory of Perceptual Positions. The original theory consisted of three positions, each a separate mode of perception of an interaction between individuals. Within the discussion these positions were defined as:

First position (self) is one's common state of awareness: experiencing an interaction through one's own filters, feelings, knowledge, and understanding.

Second position (other) is a shift of awareness into the perception of the other individual, not an image of their perception distorted by one's own associations, but a true empathic shift where one becomes the other.

Third position (observer) is the perception of the interaction from the outside, a disassociated position enabling one to experience the interaction free of the associations of self or other.

From this base we began to formulate a fourth position that would involve an awareness of all three modes of perception in balance, enabling one to experience the interaction from all of the positions simultaneously. This idea was informed by a host of other thought and theory and continues to evolve - among these: the art movements Dada & Fluxus; the eastern philosophies of zen & the tao; the writings of Bucky Fuller, Joseph Chilton-Pierce, Milton Erickson and Jack Gibb. This fourth or forth (as in forward) position became defined as a metaphysical place from which one could perceive any given set of variables, any interaction (ie.: what would that look/sound/feel/be like from forth position?). Forth was the position of awareness, the state in which the flow of perception is fluid and encompassing - from self to other to all and one.

In design terms the Forth Position was one that allowed the viewer or audience to interact with the design, bringing their own perceptions and understanding to bear in hopes that this would help them to internalize the message within the design. The design would challenge common ideas, inviting the viewer to overcome their conscious and unconscious biases, seeking to free them through providing them with an opportunity to make a choice.

Welcome to Forth Position...