I liken learning in an intercultural environment to myself being surrounded by sealed boxes with unknown contents. I am aware that each box has unique contents which makes the experience exciting despite some levels of anxiety. Some of the contents in the boxes may be very difficult puzzles to sort out, which you state in ’Stone placing sensitivity in a list of ‘intercultural effectiveness’ (ICE) constructs and operationally defines its application narrowly to the ability to be responsive to ‘cues [in the message] that are often subtle or unfamiliar’. But  Kuhn (1996), laments the preoccupation of many scientists with arriving at an absolute truth, a definitive theory, or an answer to conceptual problems. Instead he advocates a more modest approach that acknowledges the interim nature of many advances in science and knowledge which could help create a shared language offering some additional conceptual clarity or provide useful steps towards further knowledge creation or refinement (Bloom, 1956).

References

John Horgan, Scientific American, 264 (May 1991):40,49 “Profile: Reluctant Revolutionary: Tho-mas S. Kuhn Unleashed ‘Paradigm’ on the World”.

BLOOM B. S (ed.) (1956) Taxonomy of Educational Objectives, the classification of educational goals – Handbook I: Cognitive Domain New York: McKay