Glen,
My “imaginary brain farts” became tangible through effort. I have no doubt about their validity but some were clearly stupid. However loosely I used the term model without prefixes these imaginary procedures are not without dependencies, or referents. But this can only arise in a mind that notices some functionality of materials and procedures. I once constructed an Aramid/ Graphite operating table to be positioned within an MRI device. Apparently at the time no such artifact existed on the planet. But it was needed. If referents can be regarded as Real yet have no substance where does that leave us. The table transported children in and out of the MRI as neurosurgeons considered their next cut into the open skull of unconscious children to manipulate the source of “Brain Farts”. There is no need to use provocative language, unless one cherishes verbal one-up-man- ship. These “referents” can be as elusive and wispy as dreams. However when coupled to a brain with a will and talent, things will go Bang. I acknowledge that I did such things by fortune of having had a generous education and some few talents. My neighbor, a perfectly Normal Forensic Accountant, could not, but he liked to watch things happen. Your arguments take me aback, so watch what the economists call modelling https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05S1tAPoRzY You will no doubt consider this a case in point… but there exists a dividing line between rigorous and whimsical mental models that the term “conceptual” does little to illuminate. The spectacle of early flying machines usually makes us wonder what was he thinking… Even once these mad men constructed the contraptions it became obvious that not all ideas are equal. vib what makes some better and others worse? Utility…Profit…Pride… From: Friam [mailto:friam-boun...@redfish.com] On Behalf Of Frank Wimberly Sent: April-22-17 6:42 PM To: The Friday Morning Applied Complexity Coffee Group Subject: Re: [FRIAM] the arc of socioeconomics, personal and public: was VPN server I have a "mental map" of the streets of Santa Fe. I can plan a route to the dump, or even alternative routes, which I can then successfully follow. Model or figment? I'm sure you've heard many times that all models are wrong; some are useful. Frank Frank Wimberly Phone (505) 670-9918 On Apr 22, 2017 5:01 PM, "glen ☣" <geprope...@gmail.com> wrote: On 04/22/2017 11:44 AM, Frank Wimberly wrote: > "I argue that this mental model is a figment of your imagination..." > > In other words, a mental model. Heh, no. Despite being a huge term that covers almost everything under the sun, "model" _does_ at least require a referent. A purely imaginary construct has no referent. It is purely imaginary. So not just any old brain fart can be called a "mental model". And whatever you and Vladimyr mean by "mental models" are pure imaginary brain farts with no referent. I.e. they don't exist. Anyone who uses the phrase "mental model" has zero idea what they're talking about, because they're talking nonsense. >8^D I do grudgingly tolerate "conceptual model", FWIW, only because I believe we can/might eventually find neural correlates of concepts, like when, say, one's pupils dilate in response to an attractive person. A conceptual model would then be a system of physiological activity that _maps_ to some phenomena in the outside world. But, it's important that if there's no _map_ to the outside world, then it can't be a model. I.e. no measure, no model. -- ☣ glen ============================================================ 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 FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/ by Dr. Strangelove
============================================================ 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 FRIAM-COMIC http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/ by Dr. Strangelove
