Mid-morning. You have returned from Bethesda and are waiting for
Carol at the Tylersville Kroger. She wants to cook a roast for a change of
pace. You bought her a Valentine card but cannot remember where you put it. She
thinks she knows where your card is but you have your doubts. It is supposed to
snow two to four inches beginning around noon. Obviously Winter is not
over. Kroger’s parking lot is
packed. You would just as soon have chili for the next couple of days though
presently you are not hungry. Any thoughts, orndorff? – Amorella
1017 hours. Not really, except I would just a soon be taking a nap.
Jay N. sent me some beautiful National Geographic-like photos of people in
tribes that are fading away. Each displays a sense of dignity, which may be a
part of human nature that I have not covered. I will have to think on how to
describe it in words. Too much of such display could be interpreted as
haughtiness or prideful arrogance. With dignity there is a thin line of
acceptance, of saying “I am as everyone else, a human being.”
You cannot help but to flash to the naked
man sitting with leg crossed in the European manner on a plain wooden chair,
resting after his liberation from one of the German concentration camps. He sat
unfettered by the fact he was naked, in fact he sat like he was fully dressed
in formal attire. – Amorella
1029 hours. When Bob and I were in the top floor archives of National
Holocaust Museum in Washington DC, we were told his name and the camp. I should
have written it down.
Presently Carol is reading the paper while
you type. You are at McD’s on Kings Mills Road watching traffic after taking the
groceries home. You did exchange cards but no candy as there is candy left from
Carol’s luncheon that did not take place a week ago. Let’s go to Chapter Seventeen,
as you are eager for something to do. – Amorella
You
completed The Dead Seventeen segment and are looking for a theme word since you
also completed the chapter reading. – Amorella
1157 hours. I want to say ‘gully wash’ – a quick flood roaring down
a dry desert channel that could also be construed as a tear, a tear developing
from nothing consciously known. It is rather complicated.
Luminosity is what you are looking for,
orndorff. – Amorella
** **
luminosity - noun
luminous
quality: acrylic colors retain freshness and luminosity.
• Astronomy
the intrinsic brightness of a celestial object
(as distinct from its apparent brightness diminished by distance).
• Physics
the rate of emission of radiation, visible or
otherwise.
Edited from the Oxford-American software
** **
1217 hours. Are you comparing light with
dignity?
Human dignity is an intrinsic brightness in
character and it is not diminished by distance as you can readily observe this
in a photograph. – Amorella
** **
dignity - noun
the
state or quality of being worthy of honor or respect: a man of dignity and
unbending principle | the dignity of labor.
•
a composed or serious manner or style: he bowed with great dignity.
•
a sense of pride in oneself; self-respect: it was beneath his dignity
to shout.
•
a high or honorable rank or position: he promised dignities to the nobles in
return for his rival's murder.
Edited from the
Oxford-American software
** **
1224 hours. I don’t like the definition of dignity here. None
applies in my mind. I cannot help but think of Skinner’s Beyond Freedom and
Dignity.
** **
Beyond Freedom and Dignity
Beyond Freedom and Dignity
is a book written by American psychologist B. F. Skinner American and first
published in 1971. The book argues that entrenched belief in free will and the
moral autonomy of the individual (which Skinner referred to as
"dignity") hinders the prospect of using scientific methods to modify
behavior for the purpose of building a happier and better-organized society.
Beyond Freedom and Dignity
may be summarized as an attempt to promote Skinner's philosophy of science, the
technology of human behavior, his conception of determinism, and what Skinner
calls 'cultural engineering'.
Synopsis
The book is organized into nine chapters.
A Technology of Behavior
In this chapter Skinner argues that a
technology of behavior is possible and that it can be used to help solve
currently pressing human issues such as over-population and warfare.
"Almost all major problems involve human behavior, and they cannot be
solved by physical and biological technology alone. What is needed is a
technology of human behavior."
Freedom
In this chapter Skinner argues for a more
precise definition of freedom, one that allows for his conception of determinism
(action that is free from certain kinds of control), and speaks to the
conventional notion of freedom. Skinner argues against "autonomous
man".
Skinner notes that the forces of Freedom and
Dignity have led to many positive advances in the human condition, but may now
be hindering the advance of a technology of human behavior: "literature of
freedom has been successful in reducing the aversive stimuli used in
intentional control, but it has made the mistake of defining freedom in terms
of states of mind or feelings..."
Dignity
Dignity is the process by which people are
given credit for their actions, or alternatively punished for them under the
notion of responsibility. Skinner's analysis rejects both as
"dignity" – a false notion of inner causality, which removes both
credit for action and blame for misdeeds, "the achievements for which a
person himself is to be given credit seem to approach zero."
Skinner notes that credit is typically a
function of the conspicuousness of control. We give less or no credit, or
blame, to those who are overtly coached, compelled, prompted or otherwise not
appearing to be producing actions spontaneously.
Punishment
Skinner saw punishment as the logical
consequence of an unscientific analysis of behavior as well as the tradition of
"freedom and dignity". Since individuals are seen to be making
choices they are then able to be punished for those choices. Since Skinner
argued against free will he therefore argued against punishment which he saw to
be ineffective in controlling behavior.
Alternatives to Punishment
Skinner notes that the
previous solutions to punishment are often not very useful and may create
additional problems. Permissiveness, the metaphor of mid-wifery (or maieutics),
"guidance", a dependence on things, "changing minds", all
contain either problems or faulty assumptions about what is going on.
Skinner argues that this mis-understanding of
control championed by the defenders of freedom and dignity "encourage s
the misuse of controlling practices and block progress towards a more effective
technology of behavior."
Values
Skinner notes a 'pre-scientific' view of man
allows for personal achievement. The 'scientific view' moves human action to be
explained by species evolution and environmental history
Skinner speaks to feelings about what is
right, as well as popular notions of "good". Skinner translates
popular words and phrases around value issues into his view of contingencies of
reinforcement. Skinner notes that even if the technology of behavior produces
"goods" to improve human life, they expose environmental control,
which is offensive to the "freedom and dignity" perspective.
The Evolution of a Culture
Skinner suggests that cultural evolution is a
way to describe the aggregate of (operant) behavior. A culture is a collection
of behavior, or practices Skinner addresses “social Darwinism” and argues that
as a justification of the subordination of other nations or of war competition
with others is a small part of natural selection. A much more important part is
competition with the physical environment itself. Skinner relates the idea of
cultural evolution back to the question of values: whose values are to survive?
The Design of a Culture
Skinner notes that cultural design is not
new, but is already existing and on-going. Skinner notes that most discussions
of current problems are dominated by metaphors, concerns for feelings and
states of mind, which do not illuminate possible solutions. Skinner notes that
'behavior modification’ is ethically neutral
Skinner notes that Utopian speculations, like
his novel Walden Two are a kind of
cultural engineering. He then devotes much of the rest of this chapter to
addressing the criticisms and complaints against cultural engineering.
What is Man?
Skinner again addresses the notion of the
individual, and discusses how aspects of a person's character could be assigned
to environmental factors. He also covers cognition, problem solving,
self-control and counters some arguments or possible misconceptions. Skinner
notes that his analysis does not "leave an empty organism". Skinner
addresses the issue of mechanical models of human action, which are better
addressed elsewhere. Skinner notes that, "The evolution of a culture is a
gigantic effort in self-control." and ends with, "A scientific view
of man offers exciting possibilities. We have not yet seen what man can make of
man."
Walden Two
Beyond Freedom and Dignity
is consistent with Waldon Two, a 1948
novel by Skinner, depicting a utopian community based on his ideas regarding
behavior modification. In Beyond Freedom and Dignity Skinner extends his
argument for explicit cultural engineering of which Walden Two may be
seen as an example. At a Walden Two community named Los Horcones,
cultural engineering is practiced frequently.
Criticisms
Linguist Noam Chomsky wrote
influential works attacking Skinner's methods and conclusions. Chomsky devoted
much of the essay "The Case Against B.F. Skinner" to attacking
'Beyond Freedom and Dignity' as well as more general attacks on behaviorism and
empiricism.
Other critics include Ayn Rand, whose 1971 article
"The Stimulus and the Response" is an extended attack on 'Beyond Freedom
and Dignity' and a commentary on the significance of its reception.
Edited from Wikipedia Offline.
**
**
1240
hours. “O, brave new world to have such people in’t.” Such is the famous line.
Behavior modification. I never understood what people have against something
that we already do naturally. Call it cultural modification by any other word
it makes no difference. Parental control I suppose is the name the
marsupial-humanoids give to it.
You are home after lunch at Penn Station and
an errand run to the bank. The snow began an hour ago and now is falling in
large flakes with the driveway already covered. What do you think, orndorff? –
Amorella
1407 hours. I wonder how the marsupial humanoids will explain their
cultural heritage in book two?
Look up the definition of a ‘parent’. –
Amorella
** **
parent –
noun
a
father or mother: the parents of the bride | his adoptive parents.
•
[ often as modifier ] an organization or company that owns or controls a number
of subsidiary organizations or companies: policy considerations were
determined largely by the parent institution.
verb
[ with obj. ] (often as noun parenting)
[to]
be or act as a mother or father to (someone): the warmth and attention that
are the hallmarks of good parenting.
Selected
and edited from the Oxford-American software
** **
1445
hours. I had not thought of a ‘parent’ company. Somehow I see some ironic humor
in this.
Good for you, boy. Friendly has to blend
their concepts with earthy capitalism as much as possible, don’t you think? – Amorella
It would make sense, but other than for the quick remark of wit in
discussion I can’t see how she can make such a case even in explanation. I
am ready for a nap.
By all means, boy. Add the segment and post.
- Amorella
***
(final) The Dead 17 ©2014,
rho GMG.One
The
observer changes what is observed, thought Merlyn as sat facing south toward
the meadow of ragged robin and white foxglove from the stage ruins in his
sanctuary. He groused, "I am watched and even read." How does this
entanglement change me?
I
can only read my own mind through it as a measuring device. I measure the human
heart through my own first, and I measure my soul through my intuition of the
conditional aspects of what others and myself consider the soul to be. These
are as rays of light filtered through a deepened, dark-bottomed water-like
consciousness, which rises or sinks as an alter ego, a presence of my own
making forever without a mirrored reflection.
This
presence is also an observer but separate and unlike myself -- a parallel and
unequal self -- a natural doppelganger of spirit, this is the non-shadowed
presence. This is a sensory experience, a human experience, be the spirit
encased in living matter or no. The lingering awareness of 'a separate being'
in heartansoulanmind exists nevertheless.
Merlyn
fell into a memory of Plutarch, whom he met at the Academy of Athens when
Plutarch was in a parallel and entangled memory. Plutarch was stand with his
friend Senecio and their discussion was on how long consciousness would last
after death.
"Excuse
me," uttered Merlyn, "Did I overhear that one of you is Plutarch of
Chaeronea, the once senior priest at Delphi?"
"I
am," commented the Greek on the right. "And you are?"
"Merlyn,
a man interested in the arts, living some six hundred years after yourself and
your friend, Senecio, I presume."
"Yes,
I am," responded Senecio somewhat interested, "And you are which
Merlyn?"
"Merlyn,
a Scottish bard of the seventh century."
"I
know of you Merlyn," noted Plutarch. "You are interested in
Pythia."
"And,
yourself," divulged Merlyn. "I see we are engaged through channeled
memories."
"Astute
of you."
"I
would like to meet Pythia."
Plutarch
smiled confidently, "Why?"
Merlyn
spoke distinctly and clearly, "I want to meet Pythia in a tranced
mind."
In
a manner echoing Merlyn's, Plutarch asserted, "We two have a similar
interest at heart."
"Dead,
does she still make pronouncements?"
"An
oracle needs not, Delphi or any other place. Besides, what is more sacred than
Elysium?"
Merlyn
observed Senecio smiling then nodding politely before fading like worn colors
in a rainbow and an old ornery thought wandered into sight quietly suggesting,
'Perhaps, Senecio, Avalon is more sacred than Elysium'.
"Senecio
and I will talk later, Merlyn."
Merlyn
turned to his left to see an attending fair and vibrant female physique
personify from air. I am reminded of the sword thrust only this graceful fresh
hand grasps the blade and pull rather than push from the hilt.
"Xaire,
Pythia, how kind of you to join us," commented the now world-weary
Plutarch in the land of the ancient Greek Dead.
Pythia
appears Celtic rather than Greek, thought Merlyn. Coal black hair falling near,
parsing her wide-open green eyes slanting his direction as thin theatre
curtains. 'What a wonderfully well looking woman you were in life' flew into
his mind as he bowed slightly and said, "I am Merlyn, a sage of Caledonia,
old Scotland."
"I
know your name," commented Pythia.
"I
am not yet born to physically die and move on."
She
noted, "Yet here you are, and we three talk together as though we three
are livingandead at once."
"We
speak through our heartsanminds," recited Merlyn confidently, "not
our souls as you think."
"The
soul is first," disciplined Plutarch, "our souls gathered for this
meeting."
"Souls
do not display purpose," revealed Merlyn unapologetically. He asked,
"I cannot foresee the future and am looking for a clue as to how the
Second Rebellion will help or hinder the future Living?"
While
seemingly speaking from her soul, Pythia remarked, "I see your many eyes,
Merlyn."
Merlyn's
hand rose gently and he touched her left cheek without caution saying, "I
have only the two common eyes I had in life."
Plutarch
grumbled, "You cannot be alive and dead both at once. This is a dangerous
illusion Merlyn. This meeting is in a fact, unconstructible."
Pythia
gathered her face into Plutarch and reasoned, "I know what Merlyn wishes
and you may speak my response to him."
"The
lumpiness under a bushy tops hold the dusty desert to the ground, Merlyn,"
said Plutarch in feminine voice, "While the small wind-made dry furrowing
arteries blast free from below the bushy tops."
"A
riddle for the Living, not for me," declared Merlyn with a grin.
Coiling
within mind Pythia whispered to the inner heart of her oldest of old friends
Plutarch, "This man walks with eyes in the soles of his feet, and I swear
that upon the touch of his finger on my cheek I felt a tear."
***
2046
hours. I completed Brothers 17 with some minor corrections in specifics making
it easier to follow, at least that was the intent.
You napped this afternoon and worked on tax
papers to take up to Andy your financial agent on Monday, watched part of NBC
News because you forgot to record it. You also ran off and filled out three
pages of paperwork for seeing the hand surgeon on Tuesday morning. Add the
segment and post. – Amorella
***
(final) The Brothers 17
©2014, rho GMG.One
Robert and Richard sat on a bench with
their eyes towards College Park’s Lake Major; Lake Minor is just out of sight
to the west. The large roofed picnic table area sits to the northeast between
the two lakes in Riverton's favorite park with two lakes, a stream and
surrounding woods. Flowers, mowed grass, a Kid's Play Area and meadowland for birds
and other critters. They focused on the great blue heron fishing near the west
bank. He stood solidly patient with a closed wingspan, more than six feet open
winged. Yellow beaked with black plumes running the neckline.
A
wingspan of more than six feet, thought Robert, that's about my height; it is a
magnificently solid feathered bird standing in its natural habitat.
"We
used to come here as kids; almost more fun than the cemetery," commented
Richard.
"I
remember coming here with the girls our senior year -- old Riverton High, Class of 1960." He thought, now
it's a refurbished honors elementary school.
"I
was dating Connie," said Richard.
"And,
I, Cyndi." Robert smiled in the pause. "Here we are seventy; a long
road since seventeen." Both laughed.
"How
did it come to this? You a retired surgeon and me a retired professor, who
would have thought."
"We
were both in Air Force ROTC at John Knox. We were going to make it a career,”
said Robert.
Richard
added, "And the girls were both at Case Western Reserve for nursing
degrees our sophomore year.
Robert
continued to focus on the heron, quiet and patient, like myself he thought.
Suddenly
the great blue let out a discordant screeching.
"He
sounds like a dinosaur in an old movie."
"Unmerciful,"
said Rob. "Why the squawk?" They watched the wings rise as if they
were going to pull his five-pound body out of the water with a single flap.
"It
is an intentional acts of will. He stands down wings in place."
It
is an existential act. We raised our wings once and it kept the girls and us
together," declared Richard.
"We
four were always attracted to one another," injected Robert. "Look,
the heron is back to stalking a fish."
"You
failed the ROTC physical in the Spring and in the Fall the Cuban Missile Crises
loomed."
"It
was our junior year. We thought we going to die in a nuclear holocaust brought
on by arrogance and accident."
"That
was an existential world drama if there ever was one," expressed Robert.
"We thought we were going to die. If the Russian ship did not stop a news
report said we would see the beginning of a war few would survive."
"I
remember that if the missiles were fired from Cuba we would have about twenty
minutes. We both wanted to call the girls but the frat house phone was busy,"
said Richard. He chuckled dark humouredly. "I was taking World Drama from
Dr. C that semester. It was either Ionesco’s "The Chairs"
or Beckett's Waiting for Godot. In
any case the class focus was the Theatre of the Absurd during those days."
Robert
responded, "The missile crisis was absurdly real."
Richard
nodded, "Just like that blue heron, a fish just jumped, he focused, caught
and swallowed him down. Reflex to survive." He paused, "Maybe all
that intelligence and patience was the same; the chips were down and humanity
had a reflex to survive the moment."
"Another
kind of reflex could have brought a nuclear holocaust," reckoned Robert.
"I
willed my way through graduate school; and you through medical school. That was
real drama."
Robert
stayed matter-of-fact, "We married our high school sweethearts. We became
who we are, fathers; as did Connie and Cyndi who became registered nurses and
then mothers."
In
quiet honesty Richard asked, "What
real difference did it make as to which one each married whom?"
"I'm
sure Connie and Cyndi know. They made the choice as to who was marrying whom
not us. You do know that don't you Richie?"
"I
guess. I don't really like to think on it. The girls used their free will; to
each, marriage was an existential act, but for us marriage was a kind of
indifference." Caught in the embarrassment, both laughed nervously.
"It
is like they were the identical twins, not us," quipped Rob unexpectedly.
"Very
bizarre." Both laughed. Richie shook his head, "Never thought of it
like that. Hey, we both loved both girls equally. I don't think it really made
any difference."
"And
we still do love them."
"Very
odd. Sometimes life almost doesn't seem real does it? I mean here we are,
seventy years old sitting on a park bench watching the birds."
"It's
real enough, bro. Wait until we get home to our significant other." Both
laughed knowingly.
***
2055 hours. Ever since you had me add
Diplomat’s blog I have had it in the back of my mind – what to do? She has not
been forthcoming and it just existing – Waiting for Godot – so to speak.
Instead I find myself directed toward finishing this final draft so I can move
on to volume two of GMG. And, another problem. I had forgot that Hartolite has
a hybrid child who is now six years old and living with Hartolite’s family
group I assume. So far, this has not come up in the book and I feel this needs
to be addressed. I cannot change what was readily readable in the first Merlyn
series. It is just like Uncle Ernie wanted to know what happens to the
marsupial humanoids by the end of book three. I promised him I would address
this. And, as far as that goes as this is a re-write Diplomat isn’t born yet
nor is Hartolite’s son for that matter. You can see I am at loose ends here. I
have to find a way to address this. I do feel I have an obligation to give
these new editions away free, especially to those who bought the now draft
editions. I see the importance of the re-writing this book, it is more solidly
constructed with fewer frayed wires so to speak. I have nothing more to say but
I’m done.
Add
a headline here titled “Problems to Address”. All for tonight boy. - Amorella
2120 hours. I am beginning to realize I cannot
have Diplomat growing any more than she was in the original third book. I might
as well scuttle her blog. What was I thinking?
You have a lot on your plate boy and
sometimes you have to eat it. You want Diplomat to grow because she is in your
nature. You are growing in her place so to speak. Keep her blog but write in an
explanation for now. You have to work your way through the revision of book two
first. Besides, it is possible to work Diplomat up to age 14 in book three. –
Amorella
2129 hours. Indeed, work her up to age 14. I would like that. One
problem is possibly resolved at least for now.
Add and post. - Amorella
