RE: Giving up on education / Basic Attitudes

["Dirk van Putten" <dvanputten@linear.com>]

Hello DEN:

Peter Hunter's posting on "Basic Attitudes" reminds me of "Shifting
Baselines." The best definition I can find for "Shifting Baselines" is as
follows:

"Shifting Baselines refers to the lowered standards created when the
reference point for a particular realm of data, or especially, an
environmental definition of "pristine", is missing. The term was coined by
fisheries scientist, Dr. Daniel Pauly, in his 1995 book titled "In a Perfect
Ocean: The State of Fisheries and Ecosystems in the North Atlantic Ocean".

It also reminds me of the Funnel experiment where adjustments are made
relative to the last dropped ball.

"In rule number 2, the funnel is adjusted after each drop. The distance from
the target to where the marble stopped is measured. The funnel is moved an
equal distance but in the opposite direction. "

What I am trying to communicate is that an organization's understanding of a
"basic attitude" or "baseline," may change relative to the last "basic" or
"baseline" and not relative to the original aim or constancy of purpose.

Regards,

Dirk van Putten
dvanputten@linear.com