something new about Feuerstein

[Myron Tribus <mtribus@earthlink.net>]

With so many (unwarranted) nice things said on the DEN about my 
posts,  I cannot resist the request that I bring the DEN up to date 
on what I have learned about Feuerstein's work.
Later this month I shall present a paper for the Feuerstein 
International Workshop in Guilford, England, "Brain Science and the 
Theory of Structural Cognitive Modifiability".  For the last year I 
have been reading materials available on the internet and trying to 
make a connection between experimental data obtained by modern 
methods (scanning, chemical analysis, neuronal simulation, etc., 
etc.) and the empirical findings from clinical experience with 
Feuerstein's methods (improved student learning, changes in behavior 
of brain injured people,  Alzheimer victims, Autism, to name a few). 
While i found Feuerstein's theory to be very useful, it did not seem 
to me to have the kind of scientific basis that I found so satisfying 
in my work in the "hard" sciences such as fluid mechanics and 
thermodynamics.  I wanted to contribute by making connections between 
brain research and the foundations of Feuerstein's work..
With the aid of Google searchs I could find literally thousands of 
articls on neurons, scanning, simulation, neuronal learning, etc., 
etc.
Out of all this I compiled data which, to me, provided independent 
proof of the various hypotheses Feuerstein has put forward.  I also 
learned that there are many people"out there" who are unwittingly, 
applying some of Feuerstein's methods and getting good results.  None 
of them, however, to my knowledge understand the complete theory or 
make use of it.
As I ponder my learning, I find it useful to consider four kinds of 
implications:

1) Knowledge -- leading to understanding.  I think that the last year 
has been very productive along that line.
2) Know-How -- leading to the ability to put knowledge to work.  I 
think that what I have learned has given me new insights into why 
Feuerstein's methods work but not much to improved ability.
3) Wisdom -- the ability to know when, where and whether to use 
knowledge and know-how.  On this score I think now I understand much 
better how destructive so many of our educational and managerial 
practices have become.  I am beginning to develop an hypothesis on 
why, even with good intentions, so many of our large scale 
enterprises (whether in Iraq or globalization) turn out badly.
4) Character -- leading to an ability to be a better person for other 
people to connect with.  I'm too close to the situation to judge.

I shall be travelling a great deal until late September.  Because of 
an illness of my wife, I am now in the process of selling a very 
large home here in California and planning to move to a much smaller 
one, probably in Pensacola, Florida.  Fortunately the paper is 
finished and after it is presented in Guilfoird, I shall send it to 
Jim Clauson to post it in the Den archives, if he is willing.  I will 
also put it on the Feuerstein site:
	http://www.icelp.org
so Jim may only need to provide a brief description and a link.  From 
now to mid September, do not expect many posts me.  I shall become a 
lurker for awhile.

Myron Tribus