`[From Bjorn Simonsen (2004.04.29.15:35 EuST YG)]```
`[From Rick Marken (2004.04.27.1640 YG)]```
`>What I would like to discuss now is
whether one perception
of the same
environmental reality is as good as
another or
whether some ways of
perceiving that reality are better
than others. I think this is an
interesting question
because it gets at some of the problems we confront`
`when we try to do things like teach. What we are trying
to do when we teach,
I believe, is to get the student to
“see things our way”. This is certainl what I am trying
to do when I teach PCT (PCT itself being a higher level`
`perception). I am trying to get people to see things my
way: trying to get then to look at behavior through
control theory glasses. But if one way of
perceiving
things is as good as another, then what’s the point? And if
some
ways of perceiving things are better than others, how
do I know that the PCT
way is better than, say, the
cognitive science way?```
` ```
`In nearly all theories of behavior other than PCT, a
person’s behaviour is said to be the effect of previous causes. The prior
causes are to be found either in the environment, the person’s mind, upbringing,
brain chemistry or genes. These theories tell us that the person is not
responsible for his/her actions and their consequences.```
` ```
`I think PCT is gives us a correct explanation about
behavior. Contemporary I think the other theories are wrong. I don’t perform teaching
based on other theories than PCT.```
How do we know that PCT is correct?
I don’t try to prove PCT. I try to
disprove. If we can disprove a theory doing one simple reliable observation,
then the theory is wrong. I can’t give you an example disproving PCT, but it is
done with the behaviouristic and cognitive theory (ies) with a satisfied (food)
rat and a guy who was driving to his girl friend and found the memory route blocked
up. He drove another way he had not drive before
So, if we teach. Let us use a PCT method. That is the
way I perceive the basis for teaching.
What are we trying to do when we teach?
Yes, I think somebody would `try to get the student to “see things
our way”. But I can imagine circumstances that will lead this to a bad
quality teaching. E.g. the student may at the moment be controlling something
else.```
` ```
`First I would ask the student if he would listen to
the way I controlled my perceptions with regard to the theme. If he said “yes”
I would have expressed my view and my Reference. If he couldn’t’ tell me
anything wrong about my presentation, I would have asked him if we agreed about
the theme so far. Then I knew we agreed about the theme and we could describe
the theme as common knowledge. Afterwards I would have exemplified how we could
try to disprove our knowledge.```
` ```
`Martin Taylor has in another situation called
attention to my muddy mode of expression. Is it better now?```
` ```
`Conclusion. ```
`Everybody, PCT-ers, behaviorists and cognitivists
control our perceptions. We may explain what we do in different ways, but we
all control our perceptions. If we are fed with disturbances (reality), we don’t
need to control the same perceptions. It depends what we wish to perceive at
the moment.```
I gave a definite example what I mean in my last mail to David (A case I am seeing - [From Bjorn Simonsen YG (2004.04.26.15:45 EuST YG])
bjorn