[From Bill Powers (2007.11.05.0520 MDT)]
Rick Marken (2007.11.03.1600) –
Good find. It’s fascinating how people can say “I don’t see how you
can say that” without realizing who it is that isn’t seeing
something.
I do wish, of course, that I could have published in 1973 the book I’m
working on now. But the equipment just wasn’t there, in my computer or my
brain. I admit to syntactical problems, which I hope have abated
somewhat.
I’d say that PCT has a firm foothold at the University of Manchester. I
gave a seminar at the University’s School of Psychological Sciences last
Thursday, which was well received (one student stopped by to say that
seeing the demonstrations explained made sense of everything she had been
reading about PCT for Warren Mansell’s classes). One person started
asking very skeptical questions after the demo of “choosing
control” (the ball that changes shape, position, and orientation),
began getting more interested at the live block diagram, and waxed
enthusiastic when we did a tracking run (Tim Carey operating the mouse)
and got an RMS matching error of 1.6%. This person turned out to be Paul
Beatty, a Senior Lecturer in Biomedical Engineering. One of his students
is studying schizophrenics, looking for ways to measure their ability to
focus attention on a task. I suggested using the tracking experiment
which can measure control parameters, with the result that there’s going
to be an email collaboration.
Richard Kennaway was there, along with Bobbie Bolman and Lloyd
Kliendinst, Perry and Fred Good, Richard Pfau, Bjorn Simonsen, Margaret
and Chris Spratt, and Tim Carey, all of whom we have seen at CSG
conferences. Richard K. didn’t prepare a talk, but we persuaded him to
show his bug demo, which went over very well. I’m sure I’m leaving
obvious people out, but we’ll publish a list as soon as we have it.
Warren Mansell handled the conference just beautifully, and is clearly a
superb teacher of PCT. Tim C. put on a long series of varied MOL demos
without a hitch, too, and it was a lot of fun to see him in lecture mode
being skillful and entertaining. The whole meeting was right up there
with the best ones we’ve had in the CSG.
The name “International Control Systems Group” came up rather
decisively, and I think that’s where we should head. Tim Carey will very
likely host a meeting in Australia in 2009, which might also serve as the
annual US-CSG meeting as we did in China in 2006. Anyone in a position to
seek support from granting institutions might start thinking about that
now. Dag’s job as archivist might become a lot bigger – I wonder if it
would be possible to persuade Greg Williams (and maybe Pat, too) to start
taking an active part in the CSG again.
I’m keeping an eye out for the delivery man who is bringing my suitcase
from the airport this morning. The connection in Chicago was tight, so my
bag decided to take a more leisurely trip.
Best regards to all, and glad to be back,
Bill P.