Mike Woolbert wrote:
Capbility of the human system is nearly imposible to change. =
I used to think so, too. Once upon a time I thought I had captured a
form of truism when I wrote:
"Ignorance may be changed but stupid is forever"
Now, having spent nearly a decade in the study of cognitive
modifiability, as codified by Dr. Reuven Feuerstein, I no longer hold
this view. As has been remarked in this discussion list, a theory
remains just that, a theory and should not be viewed as a 'statement
of fact'. A single contrary example serves to discredit the theory.
After spending most of these last years in training and in practice,
I can say that I have seen people change their intelligence.
Incidentally, I define intelligence this way:
"Intelligence is what you use when you do not know what to do."
We judge a person's intelligence by the way they respond in a
situation in which they do not have prior experience. Do they
examine the situation carefully, seek additional data, experiment in
as safe a manner as they can? Or do they give up ("I never could do
math") or run around hysterically ("The sky is falling.") or pretend
the challenge does not exist?
Mike's comment was stimulated by the suggestion that the people who
do not accept Dr. Deming's teachings are similar to people who suffer
from color blindness. ivan Webb has suggested that the problem is
systemic and I agree with that. For example, some business leaders
are in a situation in which if they were to announce they were
following Dr. Deming, they would lose their jobs -- or believe so
because of the way they understand their boards of directors mindsets.
We have a lot of simple solutions; too bad we do not have simple problems.