aspects of Reflexivity can be explained as follows: “An incorrigible proposition is one which you would never admit to be false whatever happens…the truth of an incorrigible proposition…is compatible with any and every conceivable state of affairs” (Mehan & Wood, Five Features of Reality, 52).The next aspect of Reflexivity is secondary elaborations of belief. A person’s Secondary elaborations of beliefs are excuses or reasons why an individual’s incorrigible proposition is correct. For example, suppose an individual leaves their car keys on the kitchen counter, but when they return, they find that the keys are no longer there. Their incorrigible proposition is that another person may have taken or misplaced the keys. Their secondary belief may be an excuse on their behalf of why the keys are no longer there. For instance, they may have dropped the keys. Every individual encounters similar events and therefore assumes the features of incorrigible propositions and secondary beliefs. Mehan and Wood can see another example of Reflexivity in “Five Features of Reality”. A scientist performs an experiment where a specific amount of chloroform would be given to a butterfly. It is identified that “chloroform of a certain volume and mix is capable of killing butterflies” (Mehan & Wood, Five Features of Reality, p.52). One night when performing the experiment, the butterfly didn’t asphyxiate. The scientist was surprised because his incorrigible belief was that theamount of chloroform given to the butterfly would cause death was proven wrong. “Instead of rejecting chemistry, they can explain the poison’s failure by such things as ‘faulty manufacturing, mislabeling, sabotage, or practical joke” (Mehan & Wood, Five Features of Reality, p.53). In summary, the scientist had a secondary elaboration of belief to furthermore make his incorrigible belief to be ...
