Se

What is Se? This is the question that I will be focused on answering here. There are many different systems out there for you to read and look at, my goal is to give you clarity on understanding what Se is.

The basic approach I will take is to look at the defintion of Se. Then go through the components of that definition and then bring the cognitive function to life by going through what Se looks like in an Se type. (Here I will focus on ESFPs and ESTPs, they embody Se the most.)

Definition : Extroverted Denotative Perception

Extroverted Sensation is extroverted denotative perception. This is the defintion of what Se is. Half of the functions are extroverted. That eliminates four functions. Half are denotative which are the Thinking and Sensation functions. That leaves us with two functions. Only one is perception thus this leaves us with only Se. This is why we can define Se as extroverted denotative perception. Only Se fits this criteria out of the eight cognitive functions.

Basic Components

• Extroverted
• Perceiving
• Denotative

Derived Components

• Sensation
• Pe
• Ni/Se Axis

We will go over each of these pieces one bay one and by the end of it you will have a clear understanding of what Se is.

Basic Components

Extroverted

Let's begin with the extroverted attitude. The extroverted attitude means that means that Se is about the object. Remember that in Jungian Typology there is the object-subject relationship. The object being that which is outside the self and the subject the person who is experiencing.

So an extroverted attitude means we turn towards the object and away from the subject. Se prioritize things that exist outside of the self and are thus a part of the world. One of the goals of Se is to see things that anyone else who is looking at the world with Se can also see. Thus Se is objective in the sense that it seeks to appeal to that which is available for all to see.

Perceiving

Se is a perceiving function and as such is all about coming to know the world through experience. Se looks out at the world and wishes to see the world as it is. This when contrasted with judgement which is about working on the contents of consciousness that you have and rendering a decision on it.

You can call these contents information and data as a metaphor but the issue I have is it is a slippery slope to then reducing down consciousness to information and data.

Denotation

There are two kinds of perception. Sensation and Intuition. Sensation is denotative because it is a form of perception that takes things at face value. It doesn't go beyond what it experiences. It focus on the elements of experience that are concrete and describes the data as it is.

Denotation is to describe a thing as it is. Both sensation and thinking are denotative in the sense that neither thinking or sensation goes beyond what the data is and read into the data things that aren't there.

Derived Components

Sensation

Sensation is denotative perception. Sensation is the direct appreciation of what is simply there.

To contrast Sensation with Intuition, where intuition reads in concepts, ideas and potentiality into the world. Sensation sees the world as it simply is.

A sword is a sword, to intuition they can see a sword as a representation of the power of the state. Where sensation is tied to reality, intuition is more tied to the imagination and the mind.

Pe

Pe is extroverted perception. Thus the two foundation blocks of extroversion and perception are used to build out this concept.

Pe is the way in which we come to know the world. What Pe does is look at the world and inform us about what is going on. It is first and foremost focused on seeing the breadth of all objects out there in the world and it priorities novelty.

Ni/Se

Ni/Se which is contextual perception. Se sees the world as what it is. The Ni tries to understand what this means by crafting a personal interpretation of what these experiences mean. After Se/Ni has understood the world in light of a particular interpretation other interpretation are rejected unless they take into account and explain better to them the things that Se has seen, for the goal of the Ni/Se type isn't a wholistic perception of everything an object is but rather to see the reality of there own experiences.

Ni/Se experiences first hand through Se. Then it looks at those direct denotative experiences and begins to stitch together a personal interpretation of what that means. Looking at the different pieces within the theater of the mind and trying to see the reality of what is actually going on beneath the surface.

The element that I want to look at here is the depth of this axis. Where Ne/Si goes wide. Looking at more and more perspective as it tries to get a clearer view of the whole of an object. Ni/Se looks at the singular elements of it's experiences and adds more and more layers of meaning. Taking a few ideas and trying to map that onto a wide array of different of experiences. Unifying the totality of there experiences in a singular narrative. This meaning making means that for each experiences that Ni type has all the other experience they have had are brought into the picture and in a contemplative manner they begin the slow of work of sifting through and contextualizing the particular experience.

Ni/Se thus zooms into it's experience. The individual become the conduit through which the world is seen. Ne/Si sees the process of knowing the world as a collective pursuit. Thus the Ne/Si is one individual amongst many seeking to know the world and it thus sees the Ni/Se as a bit arrogant in thinking they have the only correct perception.

Se Type

Now I want to look at the ESTP and ESFP and how they realize there Se function. I will be using the works of Michael Pierce and Jung to flesh out my image of these types and encourage you to read through these works. I am presenting here an image and thus this isn't every ESFP and ESTP but rather my experience with these types to help you see what Se can look like in action and how it effects the way a person is in the world.

The first quality that stands out about the Se type is there immediacy. They are submerged in the world. They are present. Unlike other types who exist in a state of distraction from the physical world the Se type is oriented by the direct concrete manifestation of the world.

This quality can make them impulsive. Were other types might question why something is there or what some objects place in the world is. The Se type will look at the world and move. Either reshaping the world for there purposes or destroying the offending item. However they will react to there environment.

Another interesting quality that comes out of this immediacy is the opportunistic side to Se types. When things aren't going well for the Se type he will look around and see if there are any opportunities in his current environment. When he finds a good opportunity he will jump on it and use it for good or ill.

This makes the Se type very well informed about what is going on around him. He is very much so a part of the world around him. Engaging with it, changing it and seeking to find the parts he finds interesting.

When a type has low Se and an opportunity comes around they will not be sure about if this is a real opportunity or if they are being deceived. The Se type on the other hand will have a wealth of experience and thus be aware of how rare or common an opportunity is.

Se types can also navigate and handle lots of things happening around them. The chaos of the physical world doesn't get to them. Rather they feel at home in it, for the Se type it is boredom that is the real enemy.

Se types are also very direct. When they want something or are unsure about something they ask directly. They don't want ambiguity, they want clarity. When they want something they go after it directly.

Due to most of the Se types being immersed in the world. They are also very realistic. There picture of the world is based off of all the experiences they have had and this information is factual and concrete.