IUBio

Objective Reality

Glen M. Sizemore gmsizemore2 at yahoo.com
Thu Feb 26 18:14:07 EST 2004


JH: Glen,

You're opening a Pandora's box here and you can rest assured your post
will make Ken very angry. As an off an on visitor to this ng for many
years I have seen this whole process unfold so many times and it has
become very tedious.

GS: Hi John. Probably will get him pissed but, to tell you the truth, I
really AM interested in the answers to those questions, and I thought Ken
might tell me. The additional posts were, I admit, a whim, but I am
considering amending posts to each and every of his posts. No matter what I
said before, extinction won't work in this instance (and extinction is
difficult to get to work in general - people almost always wind up just
intermittently reinforcing the response class). Anyway...

JH: I have formerly expressed my concerns about Ken and for that you once
called me an idiot. You insulted me on a number of occasions but not
of late. I just kept ignoring your snide remarks. Extinction. You've
treated me with respect thereafter.

GS: Most of the people that I have attacked deserved it in my opinion, but I
have insulted some people that I regret insulting. You are probably one of
them. I think that if you judge my posts in context, and assess the ratio of
substantive issues to (retaliatory) insults, I think you'll find that I'm a
pretty decent guy. This ain't a professional meeting (which are not
necessarily devoid of vitriol) or a journal, and I'm tired of the
misrepresentations of behaviorism that abound, and I'm quick to point out
misconceptions. The response to this correction is usually the post that
begins the insults. My opinion has been, for 20 years that ignoring the
fraud perpetrated, no, perpetuated now, is a losing battle. But I don't
think that I have to keep my mouth shut when someone says "Anyone who thinks
that Skinner's writings are still useful is an idiot" or some such. Them's
fightin' words, son. Of course, none of that has anything to do with Ken.

JH: I think I know what Ken's problem
is and while I have hinted at the same occasionally I'm just so tired
of the way he hijacks this ng; especially since lately some bods like
yourself have made the ng much more entertaining and informative. Like
many others I have tried to encourage Ken to seek some help but he is
so entrenched in this thinking that from this distance the effort
appears futile. I do not think undertaking personality analysis is
going to change that.

GS: Well, that wasn't my plan. Really, for the most part, I'm really curious
to hear these answers. Again, though, the thought had occurred to me that if
someone were to really dog Ken's posts, that punishment might work where
poorly carried out extinction wouldn't. Probably one of the two or three bad
ideas I've had in my life.
JH: So now we see more and more posts directed towards Ken, this is best
described as fueling the fire. Don't do it. Just ignore his rants
about his personal life and probably better just to killfile him
entirely, as I have done in the past.

At present Ken is damaging this ng and if past experience is any guide
the continuing habit of fueling the fire will drive away many people.
For a layman like myself, with no social context to discuss my ideas,
ngs like this are very important to me. I need the input of people
like yourself and lately some very good neurobods have come on the
scene. I don't want to lose that chance for interaction. I may not
post much but I can assure there are several posters here I always
read (Sizemore, Blizor, NMF, Dynasoar, Matt jones, ...) because I need
educating. That is now being threatened and I'll fight to the death to
preserve this avenue or learning. It's fine for you professionals, you
can walk down the hall and have a chat, layman like myself rely
heavily on internet forums to satisfy our curiousity and find some
answers. For me now this is very important because I've worked hard
enough over the years to be in a position where I must prepare a
presentation at an upcoming conference in my hometown, not bad for a
layman who treats this more as a hobby than an obsession but it would
not have been possible except for forums like these which allow me to
test my ideas. Thanks to NMF in that regard, he has been looking at a
similiar to problem that I have focussed on.

If people here really want to help Ken then such requests as yours
should be made in private email. Everyone, let it go.

GS: OK, John, if you want me to leave it, I will - at least for now. Good
luck on your presentation. What's it about?

Cordially,

Glen

"John H." <johnhas at tpg.com.au> wrote in message
news:f8bfc8d5.0402252108.6e6d7ae at posting.google.com...





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