Re: [xmca] Re: something magical

From: Andy Blunden (ablunden@mira.net)
Date: Wed Jun 14 2006 - 04:10:29 PDT


I can't explain Deborah. This is just something I've heard about in the
media. I hesitate to say any more and only further display my ignorance. I
only know that when you learn something and you get a big emotional hit at
the same time, positive or negative, you're not going to forget it.
Learning is not a totally 'platonic' process is it - *something* changes in
our body when we acquire habits.

Andy

At 09:26 PM 13/06/2006 -0700, you wrote:
>biochemical affect? please explain.
>
>On 6/13/06, Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net> wrote:
>>
>>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
>>
>>_______________________________________________
>>xmca mailing list
>>xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
>>http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
>
>
>
>--
>Deborah Downing-Wilson
>_______________________________________________
>xmca mailing list
>xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
>http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca

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

_______________________________________________
xmca mailing list
xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca



This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue Sep 05 2006 - 08:11:25 PDT