[From Dag Forssell (920505:0930)
These thoughts came to me this morning during my exercise run in an
unusually humid Southern California air. A light drizzle hangs in the
air, full of aroma from flowers. What a delight. The net is eerily quiet.
Have I been cut off?
LCS II:
Last night, I read the foreword to Living Control Systems II out loud to
Christine. I could not get through to the end. I choked and my eyes
watered. I am truly blessed to be in touch with CSG and HPCT, a very
significant part of my personal systems concepts.
ABOUT systems concepts:
PCT shows us plainly that all our behavior is designed to create or (much
more often) re-create perceptions we want. (See Marken's paper: The
behavior of perception). From the lowest motor control perceptions to the
highest systems concept perceptions.
We perceive that which we want to perceive.
At systems concept level, you can re-phrase that to say: We make come
TRUE that which we want to be TRUE.
"Skinners Mistake" was to prove true that which he already perceived to
be true.
Skinners mistake is not unique to Skinner. All of us make the same
mistake every day. This explains the nature of any discussion of
particular beliefs/understandings, academic, religious or otherwise.
Five billion people controlling to confirm that what they already
individually KNOW to be TRUE continues to be TRUE.
Progress takes place only when people experience an error signal with
regards to a system concept; where it fails to explain or satisfy.
Then, a person is open to consider alternative principles which will
adjust the existing system of concepts to a new, revised one.
It has been a few centuries since one person claimed to have and have
read all books; to know all knowledge.
Today it is impossible to know it all. Ignorance is the rule. The only
question is one of degree and area.
I am comfortable knowing that I am ignorant in vast areas of knowledge.
This recognition makes for a sense of wonder and makes it easier to be
open to new information in all areas.
A delightful, mind opening, very graphic book that deals with these
issues of perception is: INFORMATION ANXIETY by Richard Saul Wurman.
1990, Bantam paperback $12.95. Highly recommended!
The sequel: FOLLOW THE YELLOW BRICK ROAD; Learning to Give, Take & Use
Instructions (Bantam hardcover 1992, $24.50) is more specialized.
(I have not looked closely at it yet, and have no opinion).
Best to all
Dag Forssell
23903 Via Flamenco
Valencia, Ca 91355-2808
Phone (805) 254-1195 Fax (805) 254-7956
Internet: 0004742580@MCIMAIL.COM