[From Dag Forssell (940505 1800)
Here is my output for today:
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The most obvious phenomenon of life is this:
We act to make our wants come true.
This phenomenon can be seen in ourselves and all around us all
the time -- ranging from very short to very long time frames:
You want to bend a finger: You bend it.
You want to draw a circle: You pick up a pencil, sharpen it,
place a paper on your desk -- and draw a circle.
You want a college degree: You apply, take classes and tests,
sustain yourself and persevere -- and get your degree.
You (CEO) want to build a Boeing 7X7: You ----
Perceptual Control Theory (PCT) provides the first explanation
for this pervasive phenomenon of "self-direction" or "control"
that can stand up to scientific scrutiny. When you understand
the details of this technical explanation, you understand how
autonomous control is synonymous with freedom and gives rise to
conflict or cooperation -- depending on what is wanted, how it is
perceived, by whom and to what degree.
A brief summary of PCT:
You continually _compare_ the mental image of what you want,
your purpose, which we call a _reference perception_, with the
corresponding mental image of what is, which we call _present
perception_. From this comparison emerges a _difference
signal_ (corresponding to dissatisfaction) which causes
_action_ -- your means to _influence_ your world and your
_present perception_ of it. Action causes this present
perception to conform to the reference perception. Action
ceases when your present perception agrees with your reference
perception.
The net result of this circular loop of interacting elements
and signals is that a self-directing "living control system"
controls its present perception so that it agrees with the
internally specified reference perception. The living control
system shapes its world the way it wants it and keeps it that
way. When _disturbances_ (external influences, stimuli) affect
something the living control system has a reference perception
for, it will act to restore its perception (resist the
disturbance, response).
Conventional scientific attempts to explain behavior are
misleading. Behavior is neither "caused" by "stimuli" in the
environment nor is it "execution" of internal "plans." Behavior
is an integral part of the phenomenon of control, which is
correctly explained as a closed loop process. As can be seen
from this summary, the explanation for the phenomenon of
selfdirection or control includes an explanation for the
appearance of stimulus-response, but without the notion that the
organism is "conditioned" or "reinforced;" that the behavior is
"shaped" or that it is "motivated" by "reward" or "punishment."
With this understanding, most of the present day "mysteries" of
human behavior can be seen for what they are: manifestations of
"self-direction" or "control," given a wide variety of reference
perceptions, present perceptions, circumstances and external
influences in the world where autonomous "living control systems"
interact. The "mysteries" simply vanish, and the terminology
that went with them becomes irrelevant.
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Comments solicited
Best, Dag