I second Nick's comment. -- Russ A
On Tue, Oct 13, 2009 at 9:11 AM, Nicholas Thompson < [email protected]> wrote: > Rikus, > > I am grateful for your commentary. > > Nick > > > > Nicholas S. Thompson > Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Ethology, > Clark University ([email protected]) > http://home.earthlink.net/~nickthompson/naturaldesigns/<http://home.earthlink.net/%7Enickthompson/naturaldesigns/> > > > > > > [Original Message] > > From: Rikus Combrinck <[email protected]> > > To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group < > [email protected]> > > Date: 10/13/2009 5:13:56 AM > > Subject: Re: [FRIAM] Criticism and feedback (was Re: Theory and practice) > > > > I'm comfortable with detailed criticism and familiar with the strange > > activity patterns of online forums. What disturbed me was the notion > that > > knowledge, discussion or inquiry without immediate, direct application is > > undesirable. I find such a stance shortsighted, to say the least, and > was > > taken aback that it seemed to be able to survive in intelligent, > educated, > > experienced minds. Human knowledge is a vast web that only occasionally > > supports application, but it needs the whole web (well, most of it) to > carry > > the weight of need and use in such instances. Frequently, it's > impossible > > to tell ahead of time which strands may take up the weight years later. > > > > I lumped a post of yours (Glen) with some others in my rant, because it > > seemed to support said stance by casting the unused as unreal, and hence > -- > > in my mind, at the time -- unsuitable for discussion. That was probably > an > > unfair interpretation. > > > > Steve mentions good-natured ribbing among friends; this is valid and I'm > > aware that a large part of the FRIAM membership has face-to-face > interaction > > and enjoys a consequent sense of social awareness and cohesion that may > cast > > conversations in a different light. I should probably be more sensitive > to > > this. > > > > No need for saccharine, only respect for a sincere desire to know, to > > understand and to share insight. It underpins all human achievement and > it > > riles me to see it trivialised. > > > > Having said that, it is also true that capable minds and the bandwidth > that > > connects them are valuable resources. I acknowledge that signal-to-noise > > ratio and opportunity cost become relevant at some point and that opinion > on > > optimal focus, volume and quality may differ. > > > > Rikus > > > > -------------------------------------------------- > > From: "glen e. p. ropella" <[email protected]> > > Sent: Monday, October 12, 2009 7:22 PM > > To: "The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group" > <[email protected]> > > Subject: [FRIAM] Criticism and feedback (was Re: Theory and practice) > > > > Thus spake Rikus Combrinck circa 09-10-11 01:53 PM: > > > What the hell? [...] > > > If there is the possibility of > > > additional insight, any insight, how about some applause when people > spend > > > their own resources to advance their understanding, and share it for > free > > > as > > > they go! > > > > Well, the thing you might be missing is that detailed criticism _is_ > > applause in scientific circles. Online media are difficult to > > understand. Detailed criticism is usually a sign of _respect_ and > > should be interpreted as an "atta boy". But ignoring someone's post is > > NOT a secret message for that person to stop contributing. Sometimes, > > the impact of a post is quite large even if there is no response. These > > things are occult. But one thing is for sure, if a person takes the > > time to actually read and respond to what you've written, then it is a > > sign of RESPECT, even if (or perhaps especially if) the response is very > > critical. > > > > Now, while I agree that self-indulgent mocking in the form of "Oh no, > > not again", without any detailed criticism is bad form (because it's > > mostly useless), I don't think we need saccharine back-patting. But > > then again, I've been accused of total failure in my attempts to > > encourage people after doing a good job. ;-) So, what do I know? > > > > -- > > glen e. p. ropella, 971-222-9095, http://agent-based-modeling.com > > > > > > ============================================================ > > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > > lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org > > > > ============================================================ > FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv > Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College > lectures, archives, unsubscribe, maps at http://www.friam.org >
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