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Friday, January 27, 2006

 

 The BCNGroup Beadgames

 

 

Challenge Problem à

 

[148] ß [parallel discussion on generative methodology (Judith Rosen)

[147] ß [parallel discussion on generative methodology (Peter Krieg)

[368] ß [comment on four issues (Richard Ballard)

[150]  ß [Deeper discussion between Judith Rosen and Peter Krieg on relationalism

 

 

 

 

Four Issues about Ontological Modeling

 

 

Communication from Paul Werbos  à [367]

 

 

 

Peter Krieg, and others

 

 

As I have told Dick Ballard privately, a political solution to the impasse seems required because of the real power of government funding mechanisms.  

 

If one can not identify specific individuals within the government whose consistent behavior is to redefine events, and do consistently place a specific viewpoint in front of others; then there is no solution ... ever.  

 

If one cannot advance a theory of behavior that explains the collective consequences of GSA officials and others, then one has no basis for a congressional investigation of the facts related to dysfunction, waste and (conjectured) fraud.  If this attempt to

 

(1) understand why there is inhibition of a viewpoint, and

(2) understand and communicate a behavioral theory as to how this inhibition functions;

 

is meet by government official claims that the speaker is unbalanced and professionally incompetent, then we have a cultural problem.    If there is no legal recourse, then we have (I claim) a Constitutional issue.

 

One may decide to not solve this problem, or one can continue to try to work the issue.    It takes a long time to understand how not to cause the type of reaction that is now occurring when you and Ballard break affinity with me…. and do so in a way the misrepresents my intent.  (That is partially my fault, but as I have said over and over again, no one is perfect.  I try very hard at this leadership issue.)

 

If one does not develop the case then one cannot address the root causes of the mess that IT, computer science and government funding mechanism are in.    If one wants to believe that we are not in a manmade mess, then perhaps you can ascribe the mess to some divine intention driving us to a heaven or a hell.  And then one my simply claim that there is no mess.

 

I have a proposed solution, and that is to end the social welfare of the computer science departments in the US, by eliminating the 1.5 B in direct government to university funding.  This is not an attack in individuals, it is a reform minded recommendation from a concerned citizen. 

 

 

 

I also pointed out to Ballard, privately, that I should have separated my notice to GSA officials over in whom have acted as Emperors - by ignoring the expression of an alternative viewpoint - and acting to remove individuals (not just me) from what are open forums - etc...   I have couched this notification in terms of Waste, Fraud and Abuse legislation, and in terms of the "false claims" legislation.  I have asked for a Congressional Hearing.    Again, these are not attacks on individuals, if you want to see what an attack on an individual looks like look at the posts by four individuals in the ONTAC forum regarding the vote to remove me from the public forum. 

 

The context is (a detailed claim) that these individuals work (collaborate) together, year in and year out, to deny the expression of viewpoints other than a specific reductionist-type business controlled viewpoint that is unproductive in the ONTAC and other GSA working groups.  The claim is that this behavior is rewarded in a number of specific ways.

 

The reward of the behavior is both by the log term behavior of government groups (GSA, NSF, NIST, DARPA and others) and the specific business interests (Mitre, SAIC, PWC, BAH, etc.)  This is a claim of a concerned citizen, not an attack on individuals (as have been incorrectly represented). 

 

The result is that there is no forum anywhere (except in the bead games) where the issue of the inhibition of the emerging scientific paradigm might develop.   There is no public forum where the issues can be discussed in a context which is allowed to compete with the reductionist - business controlled viewpoint.  There is no feedback mechanism to alter the behavior of the government.  There is no avenue for the free expression of ideas.  There is no marketplace of competitive ideas.  

 

Everyone loses - except those directly involved in the false claims.  They are richly rewarded. 

 

There are two positive aspects to my effort

 

1) actually causing some exposure to the fact that there is an inhibited viewpoint and some discussion about the principles that distinguish this viewpoint from the non-inhibited viewpoint (the massively funded viewpoint)

 

2) those individuals, such as Dr Obrst and Dr Hendler who it might be said are (claimed to be) responsible for the damage to the alternative viewpoint have a notice that there is a issue and are given an opportunity to respond. 

 

This opportunity to respond is offered from a scientist with a PhD and could be supported by extensive scientific discussion from other scientists.  But for there to be such a discussion the Emperors in power have to allow the discussion, and this means at least not banning the alterative viewpoint from forums such as the ONTAC forum where (again) there is a false claim that the forum is open. 

 

In both cases, the government’s response is to ask that there not be a notice that there is an issue. 

 

This seems un-acceptable based on the fact that the peer review and advise from these individuals have direct causation in peer review committees and in other ways.   So the alternative viewpoint is inhibited and has no way to bring the issue of inhibition up. 

 

The community, and of course I can not identify the members of the community without again being accused of making political statements on behalf of these individuals, as you and Ballard have done... and others have done; is inhibited in real ways.   The result of this inhibition can be (conjecturally) seen in extreme avoidance behaviors (such as not wanting to upset the Emperors of AI/KE and other Powers That Be). 

 

So I am perfectly willing to leave those behind who do not wish to walk forward with me.  The excellent discussion about relationalism and the technical details about the Mark 3 , and the use of the Rosen definition of complexity will go on with those who are willing; with notice to the government and others as the second school is founded. The bead game discussion has left several others behind because they were afraid of offending the Emperors.   The Second School needs only those who are willing to stand in the face of power.

 

Peter Krieg and Richard Ballard will not be included in these discussions, and in the future their name will not be mentioned as being part of the discussion, if this is what you wish.

 

I am impatient with weakness.  The time that it takes to understand the Mark 3 or the Pile system is enormous and frankly there are limitations to both of these systems that will not be figured out unless there is a willingness to work within a community.  I greatly value the contribution to my own thought, but each person has to decide issues related to politics.