tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360316141951760499.post4654133799013071423..comments2023-05-08T01:41:37.294-07:00Comments on Inductive Quest: Concepts from an Objectivist Perspective, Part 1Rod.Inductionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16343170953954558275noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7360316141951760499.post-249592824040246832015-07-22T20:08:47.551-07:002015-07-22T20:08:47.551-07:00Have you heard of Col. John Boyd? He developed a t...Have you heard of Col. John Boyd? He developed a theory on how concepts are formed and a theory on induction. You can read about him and his ideas in Boyd: The Fighter Pilot Who Changed the Art of War. This an excerpt from the book The Pentagon Wars by James G Burton explaining some of his ideas:<br /><br />"When Boyd retired from the Air Force in the fall of 1975, he went into seclusion. He concentrated entirely on putting into words the ideas that had been swirling around in his head on the subject of how the mind works."...<br />"By the spring of 1976, Boyd had written a twelve-page paper titled “Destruction and Creation.”This paper described how the mind goes through the process of analysis and synthesis to form mental concepts that we use to govern our actions as we deal with an ever-changing environment around us. The key to this paper was the notion that, sooner or later, these mental concepts no longer match the observed reality as our surrounding environment changes. Unless we change our mental concepts as the reality around us changes (destroy the old concepts and create new ones), we make decisions and take actions that are out of step with the real world around us. When this happens, we become confused. Our actions are no longer in harmony with our surroundings. If we continue to hold onto our old views of the world, we begin to look inward and eventually become totally out of tune with the real world surrounding us—a system talking to itself. Invariably, confusion and disorder result. When the surrounding environment is menacing and threatening, the confusion and disorder in our minds quickly lead to panic and mental paralysis."Apollohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17701446110959016481noreply@blogger.com