action and believing (was actions and beliefs}

02.04.2010 1240

I raised the question about believing and acting because when I watch the shows about stupid and even not so stupid criminals I look for some explanation of their behavior. The only thing I’ve come up with is they are believing something that drives, or is, the behavior. Maybe they are not believing, maybe they are just hoping. But it seems to me that there must be some believing going on in order for the body to be doing something that to me seems stupid. They certainly don’t think of themselves as stupid.

I also don’t see anything essentially different in the mental function for a complete difference between implicit and explicit belief. just a different body of belief.

[From Rick Marken (2010.02.04.1420)]

I raised the question about believing and acting because when I watch the
shows about stupid and even not so stupid criminals I look for some
explanation of their behavior.

Do you see this stupidity in the fact that they carry out criminal
behavior or in the fact that they carry it out poorly?

The only thing I've come up with is they are
believing something that drives, or is, the behavior.

I'm sure I can come up with other possibilities. But first you would
have to answer my first question. I'd have different answers depending
on whether you thought they were stupid criminals or stupid because
they are criminals.

Best

Rick

···

On Thu, Feb 4, 2010 at 9:53 AM, Jim Earle <jannim@comcast.net> wrote:
--
Richard S. Marken PhD
rsmarken@gmail.com
www.mindreadings.com

(Gavin Ritz
05.02.2010.17.15NZT)

02.04.2010
1240

I
raised the question about believing and acting because when I watch the shows
about stupid and even not so stupid criminals I look for some explanation of
their behavior. The only thing I’ve come up with is they are believing
something that drives, or is, the behavior. Maybe they are not believing,
maybe they are just hoping. But it seems to me that there must be some
believing going on in order for the body to be doing something that to me seems
stupid. They certainly don’t think of themselves as stupid.

I also
don’t see anything essentially different in the mental function for a complete
difference between implicit and explicit belief. just a different body of
belief.

Jim

You ask some very good questions. I love
crime shows and am always amazed at the stupidity of most criminals. And
shocked when there are smart ones (they are often only caught after years of
criminal behavior- to the shock of even their families). The stupid ones are
caught very quickly. Darwin Coon comes to mind he wrote a book about his
criminal life, this must the dumbest criminal.

What I can say is that, there is a theory
called Requisite Organization by Elliot Jaques that goes a long way in answering some of these questions about human capability (the name even of one of
Elliot books).

Without going into the theory and its hard
to explain it quickly, however it’s related to being able to plan into
the future with tasks (called work). The further out (time wise) one can plan the
more capable one is to perform certain task within certain types of roles, ie
the performing of work that requires planning out into the future. (Like a
civil engineer that plans a new transport system or a bricklayer that needs to
build a house, all require different time spans, besides the skilled-knowledge aspect).

What I have notice is the most criminals (the
dumb ones anyway) have zero forward planning abilities so their judgments and decision
making is extremely poor.

How does this relate directly to PCT- I
have no idea, it’s something I’m still working on.

Regards

Gavin

from jim earle (2010.02.04 0001)

I do not mean being stupid about how they engage in criminal behavior, but stupid ( in my opinion ) in that they engage in criminal behavior and believe that they are going to get away with it. Like car chases, Why not just stop. They must believe that they stand a decent chance of getting away. But it could be a measure of both. Because who would commit crimes in the way they do and not know that forensic science can reveal so much, discover so much, especially when there is blood involved. On reflection I don’t know quite how to completely separate the two.

[From Rick Marken (2010.02.04.1420)]

I raised the question about believing and acting because when I watch the
shows about stupid and even not so stupid criminals I look for some
explanation of their behavior.

Do you see this stupidity in the fact that they carry out criminal
behavior or in the fact that they carry it out poorly?

The only thing I’ve come up with is they are
believing something that drives, or is, the behavior.

I’m sure I can come up with other possibilities. But first you would
have to answer my first question. I’d have different answers depending
on whether you thought they were stupid criminals or stupid because
they are criminals.

Best

Rick

···

On Thu, Feb 4, 2010 at 9:53 AM, Jim Earle jannim@comcast.net wrote:

Richard S. Marken PhD
rsmarken@gmail.com
www.mindreadings.com