CSG 2000

[From Rick Marken (2000.01.18.0930)]

Here is a quick update on the CSG 2000 conference.

The CSG conference this year will be held from July 26-30
(Wednesday through Sunday) at Boston University (in Boston,
of course). I don't yet know how much the conference will cost
(conference fees, room and board) but I think it will be in the
ballpark of $300 for a single person for 4 nights and $500 for
a couple for 4 nights. Once I know the total amount of the
conference, people will be able to register by sending the required
amount to me and I will pay a lump sum to BU.

What I know now is the room rates:

$45/night single occupancy

$76/night double occupancy

So for 4 nights it's $180 single, $304 double.

I'll have a better idea of the conference costs and
what they will include (which will probably be breakfast
and a Saturday evening clambake dinner) by the end of
this month.

The University has reserved rooms (two room suites with
a shared bathroom; though they say they try to give couples
the entire suite) for 45 people. If fewer than 45 people
attend the conference we are charged a penalty (not that
much; I think it's about $45 for each person below the
45 target).

So far I have heard from 15 people who say they will attend
at least _part_ of the five day conference. Here's the list:

Bill & Mary Powers
Rick Marken & Linda Westerschulte
Isaac Kurtzer
Wolfgang and Marion Zocher
Phil Runkel
Lloyd Kleindienst
Barbara Bollman
Fred Good
Kenny Kitzke
Chris Kitzke
Grace Gadsby
Kent McClelland

So I need an attendance commitment from 30 more people in order
to make our minimum attendance requirement. Some of those who might
attend are not on the net and I will be trying to get in touch with
them by snail mail. But if you are on the net, you know now that
you will attend CSG 2000 and you are _not_ on the list above I would
really appreciate hearing from you ASAP. (If you are on the list above
and your plans have changed I would like to know that also).

I will probably be asking for payment for the meeting (which represents
the _real_ commitment to attend) in about a month. So start saving
up if you are planning to attend. The CSG will have some funds
available to help people (especially students and those coming from
distant lands) who want to attend but would have difficulty fitting
it into their budgets.

Again, if you plan to attend the meeting and are not on the list
above _or_ if you are on the list above and no longer plan to attend,
please let me know by email (rmarken@earthlink.net) ASAP.

Thanks

Rick (Secretary/Treasurer of CSG)

···

--
Richard S. Marken Phone or Fax: 310 474-0313
Life Learning Associates mailto: rmarken@earthlink.net
http://home.earthlink.net/~rmarken

[From Rick Marken (2000.05.05.0900)]

With the apparent demise of substantive discussions of PCT
on CSGNet, it looks like the CSG meeting is the only place
to go learn about the latest contributions to Perceptual
Control Theory (PCT) research and applications. The meeting
is shaping up to be one of the best ever. I have received
conference fees (and, thus, commitments) from about 1/3 of
those who have said they were attending the conference. If
you are a fan of PCT and you can come to the meeting, even
for only a day or two, please get in touch with me ASAP and
we'll work out a fee schedule.

Here's a second posting of the meeting announcement. Please
feel free to forward this announcement to other lists that
may have people interested in attending the CSG conference 2000.

Best

Rick

···

------------------------------------------------------------
                   MEETING ANNOUNCEMENT

            CONTROL SYSTEM GROUP MEETING
            BOSTON UNIVERSITY
            BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
            JULY 26, 2000 - JULY 30, 2000

Registration Fee: $240/person $360/couple

Registration fee includes $20/person dues for membership in CSG.
It also includes 2 full breakfasts (Thursday and Friday morning,
7/27 and 7/28) and dinner on Saturday evening, 7/29.

Dormitory rooms are available at the conference site. The
room rates are $45/day single occupancy and $76/day double
occupancy. These rates are for air conditioned rooms. If you
are willing to settle for a non-air conditioned room (in
Boston in the summer) the rates are $39/day single occupancy
and $64/day double occupancy.

Please send a check for registration fee and room payment to:

Richard Marken
10459 Holman Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90024

Please make checks payable to The Control Systems Group.
------------------------------------------------------------
Richard S. Marken Phone or Fax: 310 474-0313
Life Learning Associates mailto: rmarken@earthlink.net
http://home.earthlink.net/~rmarken

[From Bruce Nevin (2000.05.06 1122 EDT)]

Many thanks to Rick for hanging in there with a largely thankless job, a
job made more difficult by the increase in costs, slowness of BU to divulge
expenses, and the challenges of making arrangements from 3000 miles away,
this last because none of us on the east coast was able to take it on. I
know if I had tried I would be botching it badly.

Whenever you can pry yourself away from the conference, Boston is a
fascinating city, great for walking. World-class Museums, theater and
dance, BSO and Boston Pops, the Boston Public Library is justly famous,
historic sites/sights everywhere you turn. Tall ships won't be back here
after their race until July 11, but there's lots going on to make up for
it. You'll have a great time.

        Bruce Nevin

[From Erling Jorgensen (2000.06.22.1530CDT)]

Rick, thanks for your inquiry and interest in my attending the CSG
Conference in July, and sorry for the delay in not clarifying my
situation. Unfortunately, it will not be possible for me to attend
this year, even with the generous offer of a student grant. There
is simply too much going on for me this summer, in terms of analyzing
and writing for my dissertation, as well as preparing for an upcoming
move to Concord, NH in late August to start my internship.

However, I'm wondering if it would be appropriate to submit for
distribution drafts of two papers I prepared for a History of
Psychology course this past semester.

One is entitled -- "Circuits and Logical Types: Errors of Analysis
from Forgetting James and Dewey."

The other is entitled -- "The Paradigm of Circular Causality?:
Cybernetics as an Organizing Framework for Psychology."

They are both in rough form, incorporating allusions to other
submissions I made to the class. But they would put forward some
of the ideas I've had, to advance the science and rhetorical
acceptance of control theory as applied to psychology.

If you think such written presence is an acceptable substitute
for my inability to attend in person, I'm wondering the best way
to get multiple copies (is it 30 attendees?) of the papers to
the conference. Would I send them out to you, or is there
someone in the Boston area that could deliver them to the
conference for distribution?

Let me know what you think of the idea.

All the best,
        Erling

[From Rick Marken (2000.06.23.0740)]

Erling Jorgensen (2000.06.22.1530CDT)

Unfortunately, it will not be possible for me to attend
this year, even with the generous offer of a student grant.

I'm sorry you can't make it. Maybe next year?

However, I'm wondering if it would be appropriate to
submit for distribution drafts of two papers I prepared
for a History of Psychology course this past semester.

It's OK with me. Since you posted this to the net maybe
we could get some other opinions on it. I suppose I'm
willing to bring the papers to the meeting if you mail
them to me. 10459 Holman Ave, LA, CA, 90024

Perhaps you could give a brief synopsis of each paper.
Based on the title of the first paper, "Circuits and
Logical Types: Errors of Analysis from Forgetting
James and Dewey", I can't really tell what it's about.

Best

Rick

···

--
Richard S. Marken Phone or Fax: 310 474-0313
MindReadings.com mailto: marken@mindreadings.com
www.mindreadings.com

[From Erling Jorgensen (2000.06.24.0930CDT)]

Rick Marken (2000.06.23.0740)

I'm willing to bring the papers to the meeting if you mail
them to me.

Thanks for your willingness to bring the papers along with you to
the conference. However, since it probably will be about a ream
of paper (20 pages x about 30 participants?), I'm willing to ship
them to someone closer to Boston to save you the hassle of dragging
them out on a plane. Is there someone in the Boston area who will
be attending, that would be willing to transport them to the site
and set them out on a resource table for distribution?

Perhaps you could give a brief synopsis of each paper.

Be happy to. Abstracts follow.

Circuits and Logical Types:
Errors of Analysis from Forgetting James and Dewey

Abstract: James' (1890/1950) articulation of varying means to achieve fixed
ends is taken as a template for a host of part - whole distinctions, operative
in psychological processes. Analyzing in terms of circuits, first noted by
Dewey (1896/1998), requires both a top-down contextualizing causality and a
bottom-up implementing causality. Applying this distinction concentrically
yields an internested hierarchy of logical types, where a stability -
variability dynamic emerges at the interface of each adjacent set of levels.
As noted by Bateson (1979), to ignore such part - whole distinctions is to make
an error of logical type. Examples would include a disjointed reflex arc
conception, sequential analysis of simultaneous processes, ignoring the
compensatory symmetry between behavior and environment, and overlooking the
requirement for different time scales between a system and its sub-systems.
An evolutionary analysis is applied to the gradation of systems which emerges
by avoiding such errors.

The Paradigm of Circular Causality?:
Cybernetics as an Organizing Framework for Psychology

Abstract: A paradigmatic shift is proposed for the field of psychology, from
the predominant lineal notion of causation to that of circular causality, as
embodied in cybernetic control theory. In keeping with Kuhn's (1970) criteria
for emerging paradigms, cybernetics offers a provocative and coherent research
framework, with plenty of stimulating problems for new adherents to resolve.
Evidence for the utility of such an approach is presented in terms of
programmatic breadth, conceptual parsimony, scientific modelling, heuristic
linkage between disciplines, and adaptive advantage. Novel approaches to
issues of meaning, intentionality, consciousness, ontogenetic development, and
epistemology are suggested.

All the best,
        Erling