Net Neutrality

As someone who puts things on the internet, and as someone who works for an organization that depends on the internet for our work. The idea of allowing corporations to dictate (more than they already do) who gets what access when is a very scary idea.

Net Neutrality is essentially the idea that the Internet should be treated as a public resource that forms a foundation for business (like phone lines), rather than a specific type of service (like cable TV). Currently, this is not the attitude the U.S. government seems to have about what is possibly the most powerful resource ever created by man. Today is a day to raise awareness of the idea of Net Neutrality, and to try, at least in the U.S., to get the government to see what it really is, and how it needs to be treated.

What is ABC Thinking (2): Three Components of Thought

When I talk about ABC thinking, I am referring to the practical application of a theory I call the ABC Theory of Cognition, originally developed by Dr. Stuart Cook in South Africa. Please do not confuse the ABC Theory of Cognition (which I am discussing here) with the ABC model of behavior. While they may have a few things in common, they are fundamentally different approaches to understanding how humans work.

The ABC Theory of Cognition if founded on the idea that the way we think (also called our cognitive process) can be broken into three discrete aspects of thought. Each of these aspects has a particular focus, and when you put them together, they make up the way we acquire, process, and react to information about the world. For simplicity, these aspects are labeled “A,” “B,” and “C” - thus, the name of the theory. These aspects of thought are ways of knowing. That is, they give us knowledge of our world, albeit in different ways. Our strength with of each of these aspects and the priority we give them is the structure and pattern of our thinking.

Aspect A: The Conceptual

The “A” aspect of our thinking has to do with concepts and abstract thought. This includes, but is not limited to, identifying concepts, categorization, analysis, synthesis, and comprehension. It is what we in the west most often call to mind when we say the word “thinking,” though other cultures might have different standards for "good" thought.  This is also the aspect of our thought that focuses on our thinking – what we call reflection or introspection.

Aspect B: The Concrete

The “B” aspect of our thinking focuses on the tangible world, and our memory of it. All our experiences are processed through the “B” aspect of our thinking first, with the exception of our internal reflections. It covers all sensory information, and our memory of those sensations, and includes our attention to detail.

Aspect C: The Emotional/Intuitive

The “C” aspect of our thinking focuses on our non-perceptual, non-rational response and connection to our environment. In particular, it includes our emotions (internal reactions to events) and our intuitions (a more complex reaction that provides input on external factors beyond our personal reaction). It also includes various kinds of “mystical” connections to our environment, as found in many religious experiences. This aspect of thinking has, traditionally, been considered suspect in the West, but does give us important information about ourselves and our environment.


Next up: Putting The Aspects Together

What is ABC Thinking?

It has occurred to me that, while I have talked about what I do from time to time, I haven't gone into a lot of detail about the underlying philosophy and theories that drive what IRI is about. That should be corrected, I think. So for the next few months, I will be discussing the basics of some of our core ideas. The first, and perhaps most critical of these is the idea of ABC Thinking.

Caveats

Before I begin, I want to make a few notes for the more scholarly minded. First, this is a basic overview, not an academic defense. The goal is to introduce ideas and help people understand what I do and why, not present a full dissertation on the topic. (Who knows? That might come later.) As such, I will be avoiding technical terms as much as my philosophy upbringing will let me. Second, This is a brief overview – I don't intend to go into every detail about the theories (though if there is interest, I may go back over some areas and dive deeper). Finally, this is a blog, so it will probably be a bit informal. You have been warned.

Also keep in mind that this is a theory that identifies problems and seeks a solution. I do not consider it the theory, or the end-all of psychology, anthropology, or whatever other discipline it may touch. This is the world as best we at IRI understand it, and our ideas should be taken as starting points for discussion, not concrete conclusions about reality.

Next Monday: Getting Started - The ABC Theory of Cognition

Changeing to Google

I have made a change in my blog to link it to my Google+ account. For those friends of mine on Google+ who were happy only hearing from me very infrequently, sorry. I finally decided to start tying systems together to see what happens.

Moved!

I am now settled in Spokane, WA. I am currently setting up meetings with local contacts to see what we can get going in the Pacific Northwest, and am trying to get connected with our Northwest supporters. If you are living in the Northwest, and want to talk about what I do with IRI, please feel free to leave me a message, or send a request via our website. All you need to do is mention Jason (that's me) or the blog (Incoming Insights) in your message, and it will get to me.