[From Bill Powers (960914.1644 MDT)]
Bruce Abbott (960914.1325) --
Where is any reference to my
paragraphs, following the quote from Simon, in which I carefully and
explicitly showed the application of Simon's analysis to the evaluation of
control-system models?
The general discourse of Simon can be applied to control theory if you
happen to know control theory already and are looking for examples that fit
Simon's generalities. However, the same generalities cover every other
theory of behavior, too, including absurd ones. There is nothing in Simon's
words that leads to control theory; he's just being general enough so that
no matter what is discovered, he can claim to have anticipated it. A lot of
academic discourse takes place at this level. It's not a very interesting
game to a working theoretician.
Best,
Bill P.