Comments on: We have all been here before… http://borderland.northernattitude.org/2007/06/25/we-have-all-been-here-before/ (bôr'dər-lănd') n. Located on or near a frontier. An indeterminate area or condition. Mon, 13 Oct 2008 04:32:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Borderland » Blog Archive » Salvaging What’s Good http://borderland.northernattitude.org/2007/06/25/we-have-all-been-here-before/#comment-45017 Borderland » Blog Archive » Salvaging What’s Good Sun, 22 Jul 2007 01:55:47 +0000 http://borderland.northernattitude.org/2007/06/25/we-have-all-been-here-before/#comment-45017 [...] found Neil Postman’s Teaching as A Conserving Activity after reading Artichoke’s comment , quoting Humberto Maturana: “What is conserved defines identity. But what is conserved also [...] [...] found Neil Postman’s Teaching as A Conserving Activity after reading Artichoke’s comment , quoting Humberto Maturana: “What is conserved defines identity. But what is conserved also [...]

]]> By: Doug Noon http://borderland.northernattitude.org/2007/06/25/we-have-all-been-here-before/#comment-43056 Doug Noon Thu, 05 Jul 2007 16:49:41 +0000 http://borderland.northernattitude.org/2007/06/25/we-have-all-been-here-before/#comment-43056 I like Maturana's ecological view of systems, and we might be able to make use of that understanding as we think about how we'd like schools to be. But I'm not sure he can help us with the "What is good?" question. As I understand it, he sees change as an adaptive process in which the essential properties of an organism are retained so that it continues to be whatever it was. This reminds me of what happens when I clean out the basement, and have to think about what to keep and what to pitch. Don't I still have to ask myself "What is good?" in order to get the job done? I'll have to read some more in order to understand how Maturana makes sense of politics. I like Maturana’s ecological view of systems, and we might be able to make use of that understanding as we think about how we’d like schools to be. But I’m not sure he can help us with the “What is good?” question.

As I understand it, he sees change as an adaptive process in which the essential properties of an organism are retained so that it continues to be whatever it was. This reminds me of what happens when I clean out the basement, and have to think about what to keep and what to pitch. Don’t I still have to ask myself “What is good?” in order to get the job done?

I’ll have to read some more in order to understand how Maturana makes sense of politics.

]]> By: Artichoke http://borderland.northernattitude.org/2007/06/25/we-have-all-been-here-before/#comment-42985 Artichoke Thu, 05 Jul 2007 01:13:56 +0000 http://borderland.northernattitude.org/2007/06/25/we-have-all-been-here-before/#comment-42985 I think finding out "what's good" is related to Humberto Maturana's thinking about change - what is most important is what is conserved (aka what's good") <i>"What is conserved defines identity. But what is conserved also defines what can change. This is interesting. We are so concerned about change, yet what is most important is what is conserved… politics conserve. Even revolutionaries conserve. All systems only exist as long as there is conservation of that which defines them.</i> I think finding out “what’s good” is related to Humberto Maturana’s thinking about change - what is most important is what is conserved (aka what’s good”)

“What is conserved defines identity. But what is conserved also defines what can change. This is interesting. We are so concerned about change, yet what is most important is what is conserved… politics conserve. Even revolutionaries conserve. All systems only exist as long as there is conservation of that which defines them.

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