From: jdd@aiki.demon.co.uk (Jim Dixon)
Date: Fri, 19 Aug 94 05:06:52 PDT
To: joshua@cae.retix.com
Subject: Re: Are \"they\" really the enemy? (Systems commentary)
Message-ID: <6688@aiki.demon.co.uk>
MIME-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain


In message <199408181927.MAA00813@sleepy.retix.com> joshua geller writes:
> 
> >   > When a system is designed to organize human behavior (as in 
> >   > "governing" it) it has the inherent mistake of being based on 
> >   > the presumption of complete knowledge of human nature (yet who 
> >   > agrees on what that comprises).
> 
> >   Only a philosopher could make such a statement.

Only a philosopher could believe that it is necessary to presume complete
knowledge to design a system.

> >   A family is such a system, but it is based on no such presumption.
> >   Families begin in what is usually a completely mindless activity.
> >   And any honest parent of teenage children will admit that he or
> >   she is almost totally ignorant of human nature.  If the parent
> >   doesn't admit it, the child will let the parent know.
> 
> only a rhetor could make such a statement.

? I don't teach rhetoric.

> families are not designed.

Many people think that they are.

But my point is that we all take part in the creation of systems,
and we usually do not think about what we are doing when we do it.
Blanc said, esssentially, that systems are designed rationally.
Most aren't.
--
Jim Dixon