[From Rick Marken (980413.1430)]
Bruce Gregory (980413.1617 EDT)
My point is that the book Bill read must have disturbed a
higher order perception "If this guy is right that I am a
jerk." .... The output of this higher order system would then
reset the reference levels for lower level perceptions that
allowed Bill to stop smoking...Make sense?
I sounds to me like you are describing hierarchical control, not
reorganization. Your description implies that control of the
perception of smoking is available as a means of controlling the
higher order perception of one's jerkiness. There is no reorganization
involved here; I can control the perception of my jerkiness (keep it
at 0) by controlling my perception of smoking (keeping it at "not").
No that's impossible, since reorganization is presumed to be
random.
The output of the reorganization process is assumed to be random
because there is no way for the reorganization process to know
_how_ to change the hierarchy in order to make things better; so
there is no _systematic_ way to change the hierarchy in order to
control the perceptions (of the hierarchy) that the reorganization
system controls. This is basically the "Meno Paradox" which was
nicely described by Hugh Petrie (I think it's in Petrie, Hugh G.
(1981). The dilemma of inquiry and learning. Chicago: University
of Chicago Press; is that right Hugh?). But the process itself is
not random; by making the rate of random change a function of error
in a closed loop process, the reorganization system controls a
perception (of an intrinsic variable) rather effectively. The
"Random Walk Chemotaxis" paper in "Mind Readings" describes the
"biased random walk" control process that is presumed to be used
by the reorganization system.
It seems to me that what must happen is that a higher level
perception must be disturbed sufficiently strongly that
reorganization is the only way for it to restore control. This
might be what has to happen whenever learning takes place.
What thinkest thou?
I don't think error in a higher level system has any special
significance for reorganization unless there is no error at
the lower level. I think that in addictions there is ususally
plenty of error at the lower level due to conflict -- there is
no need for a disturbance to a higher level system to start
reorganizaton.
I don't think the book Bill read was a disturbance that started
reorganization; I think it just allowed him to gain a perspective
on an existing conflict (that was already creating error) that
allowed him to see an acceptable solution (ptting up with the
pain of craving for a _finite_ time).
Best
Rick
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Richard S. Marken Phone or Fax: 310 474-0313
Life Learning Associates e-mail: rmarken@earthlink.net
http://home.earthlink.net/~rmarken