Are you ontologically real or distinct from the sum of your parts? Do you “care” about things only because your constituents do?
Nope. Well, maybe. I’m the sum of parts in a given configuration, even as some of those parts are changed, and as the configuration evolves slightly. Not real, but very convenient to model, since my parts are too numerous and their relationships too complicated to identify individually. But I’m not any more than that sum.
I fully agree with your point that there’s no clean joint to carve between when to use different levels of abstraction for modeling behavior (and especially for modeling “caring” or motivation), but I’ll continue to argue that most organizations are small enough that it’s workable to notice the individuals involved, and you get more fidelity and understanding if you do so.
Nope. Well, maybe. I’m the sum of parts in a given configuration, even as some of those parts are changed, and as the configuration evolves slightly. Not real, but very convenient to model, since my parts are too numerous and their relationships too complicated to identify individually. But I’m not any more than that sum.
I fully agree with your point that there’s no clean joint to carve between when to use different levels of abstraction for modeling behavior (and especially for modeling “caring” or motivation), but I’ll continue to argue that most organizations are small enough that it’s workable to notice the individuals involved, and you get more fidelity and understanding if you do so.