> Steve writes: > > "I think you described the difference between vocational training and an > education." > > Do you believe the courses captured something deep, learned by humanity over > generations, or is it simply that it was broader than vocational training?
I think there is a difference between learning the 'bare minimum' set of techniques as pre-scribed to handle a task (or set of tasks) and learning the theory (and metatheory?) of a discipline which was developed over generations. There are many contexts where technicians (Dental, Medical, Electronic, Mechanical, etc.) can be very effective at doing many of the tasks currently handled by the Dentists/Doctors/Engineers they work with/for. > I don't really buy it. I think there is not a useful skeleton that connects > people. We are all aliens, or at least can aspire to be, and that is for > the best. I'm not sure I track this one? Taking my best guess, I think my answer would be that culture (whatever that is) as encoded/presented in natural language is a kind of fascia that does in fact connect people thoroughly and deeply. It might be arguable what/when/how that is "useful" but the fact that it (rich, shared natural language, with lots of embedded knowledge about relevant humans/nature) seems to exist across many (all?) cultures and a great deal of time (thousands of years minimum?) suggests it is adaptive to *something*, like living/working/(playing) in large groups while navigating/negotiating/exploiting novel/harsh environments. "We are all aliens, or at least can aspire to be, and that is for the best" sounds a bit like nihilistic cynicism? I think I might be able to agree that given that *most of us* are embedded in a rich cultural milieu, there are times and conditions where withdrawing from it and acknowledging/reveling-in our sometimes-island status might be a "darn good thing". That is what I think I experience when I am in my "loner"mode which is most of the time... whether it is sitting in meditation, doodling on a piece of paper, hiking along the river, chopping firewood or reading a good book... though the latter provides a *significant* coupling for me with not only the author, but to her mother tongue/culture, all of her technical/literary influences and all of her other readers. Maybe I'm missing the point(s) entirely? - Steve ============================================================ FRIAM Applied Complexity Group listserv Meets Fridays 9a-11:30 at cafe at St. John's College to unsubscribe http://redfish.com/mailman/listinfo/friam_redfish.com archives back to 2003: http://friam.471366.n2.nabble.com/ FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/ by Dr. Strangelove
