[xmca] Re: something magical

From: Andy Blunden (ablunden@mira.net)
Date: Tue Jun 13 2006 - 18:44:53 PDT


Well I think it would be superficial to stop at emotion (though at a very
basic level the experience of emotion is intuitively accessible and
telling). I think emotions only make sense if we have a handle on identity
and however we understand what it is that it means to "do" something, to be
an actor in the world. If we leave emotion at the level of biochemical
affect we surely have no real way of connecting it with learning. Why was
Franklin delighted when he saw that he was the star in this little play?
How did he recognise that it was himself?
Andy
At 07:37 AM 13/06/2006 -0700, you wrote:
>My guess is that it is recriprocal emotionality, Andy. A particular kind
>of difference that makes a difference.
>What were people feeling when everyone turned to Franklin as they
>recognized Vivian "being" Franklin? What
>did they feel when he slapped his knee and said. "You got it just
>right"? And what did he feel? Certainly not bad,
>judging from the evidence.
>
>And what was THE cause of this convergence of positive affect? Its in the
>intricacies of the answer to that question
>that we need a Zo to help us understand.
>mike
>
>On 6/12/06, Andy Blunden <<mailto:ablunden@mira.net>ablunden@mira.net> wrote:
>>Mike Cole said:
>> >[snip]
>> >This "something magical" certainly is very important in our afterschool
>> >work. It includes not only the experience and good will of those involved,
>> >but also strong emotional bonds that grow between undergrads, kids and
>> >staff. -- almost a kind of emotional flow.
>>
>>Mike, this "something magical" seems to be the emotional hit that both
>>learner and teacher get when the learner makes a breakthrough in learning
>>and development, doesn't it? I remember hearing stuff in the media which
>>went to the neurological basis of how emotions reinforce learning, and I
>>understand it is a regular part of sports coaching nowadays to deliberately
>>manipulate the emotional experiences of performers when they do a thing
>>right or do it wrong supposedly to bring about neurological changes which
>>will attract or repel repetitions of the action.
>>
>>It always seemed to me that in our theory of the use of artefacts this
>>emotional loading tends to be overlooked, and yet that is surely exactly
>>what is magical?
>>
>>
>>Andy
>>

Andy Blunden, for Victorian Peace Network, phone +61 3 9380 9435
Global Justice Tours: http://ethicalpolitics.org

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