Model-Dependent Realism and Neuro-Linguistic Programming
(Exercising Your Mind) I became deeply entrenched in reseach on Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), while I was earning my degree in the related discipline and practice of Clinical Hypnosis from 2004 – 2006.
After years of research, I departed from much of what is being taught about hypnosis and NLP. This is because a lot of it does not make sense with the results that I observe, and also because of the many inconsistencies with current neurological research.
I coined my own term Synaptic Syntax Sequencing for my neural-science based application of NLP. At the same time, I still frequently use the term Neuro-Linguistic Programming for propaganda.
In July of 2017, I was given a copy of “The Grand Design” by Stephen Hawking and Leonard Mlodinow.
A friend gave it to me as a parting gift to read on my long flight from Los Angeles, California to Hangzhou, China, where I am writing this now.
I did not start reading it until now, because I brought along several other hard-copies of other books, and hundreds more on my Samsung Galaxy, Nook tablet.
Teach Yourself Electricity and Electronics by Stan Gibilisco; QED by Richard P. Feynman; Radiation by Robert Peter Gale, M.D. and Eric Lax; and Secrets of Antigrvity Propulsion by Paul A. LaViolette, Ph.D. are among my favorites.
Another thing that put me off from reading it right away, was what I considered to be a very ridiculous statement in the book by the authors when I was skimming through. It was something that dismissed the idea of bioelectrical energy. I will add the precise quote in an update to this post as soon as I locate it in the book.
I finally got around to reading it today. And within the first few minutes, I was struck with a blast of familiarity when I read the description of what the authors call Model Dependent Realism.
My memory was triggered into a total-recall of my understanding of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, specifically the concept that is summed up in a statement saying “The map is not the territory“.
I was bothered by this, because there was no credit given to any influences to this approach they are calling Model Dependent Realism. It seemed odd to me that even if not some direct connection to Neuro-Linguistic Programming, there had to be some other references to be made, but there are none.
Unable to shake my dismay, I did a search for Model Dependent Realism through Bing.com, and found an entry on Wikipedia that resonated with my intellectual discomfort.
“Model-dependent Realism” is a catchy new name, perhaps coined by Hawking and Mlodinow, to refer to a concept that’s been around for decades. I, myself learned of the connection between Realism and the models we use to understand the world in 1979 when I read Ian G. Barbour‘s “Myths, Models and Paradigms”. I find it intellectually dishonest to claim credit for Hawking & his collaborator and NOT mention the philosophers of science who’ve been talking about and working with this ideas for decades at the very least.
To support my contention, I point to this article in New Scientist by Craig Callender
Stephen Hawking says there’s no theory of everything 15:00 2 September 2010
“Having declared that ‘philosophy is dead’, the authors unwittingly develop a theory familiar to philosophers since the 1980s, namely ‘perspectivalism’.”
You can find the full entry by following this link Talk: Model-dependent realism”
Take note that NLP was developed in the 1970’s.
If that was not enough for me, later in The Grand Design, the authors write
“To understand the universe at the deepest level, we need to know not only how the universe behaves, but why.
On a Neuro Liingustic Programming website, NLP Training, under the definition of what NLP is, I found this
NLP works by changing the way in which we store, recall and process remembered external experience – working on the Neurology, ‘how’ we do it, rather than psychology that focuses upon ‘why’ we do it.
I added the bold feature here for emphasis, but it must be noted that in both publications, HOW and WHY are also emphasized.
Finally, here is the quote from the intro to The Grand Design.
“… we shall adopt an approach that we call model-dependent realism. It is based on the idea that our brains interpret the input from our sensory organs by making a model of the world. When such a model is successful at explaining events, we tend to attribute to it, and to the elements and concepts that constitute it, the quality of reality or absolute truth.”
The map is not the territory.
All this is just for me to say that some people said some stuff that sounded familiar to my pattern-seeking brain, and triggered a cascade of associations I can barely make sense of.
However, it seems that my original plan when I began posting in 2006 is working. After 12 years of publishing on my sites, I am finally beginning to feel more coherent.
The next step will be getting everyone outside of my personal, mind-contained universe to understand me.
Stay tuned: More projects are stemming from my reading of the intro to The Grand Design, including:
- Exploring what is meant by “philosophy is dead”.
- Some new perspective on my developing thesis to hijack Metaphysics called M.E.T.A.-Physics (Mathematical. Experimental. Theoretical. Applied – Physics).
- Richard P. Feynman and QED.
- Call for submissions and editors from HMI and other academic, behavioral science pools, and
- A Blog-War with my friend and philosopher, Kendi Kim who publishes Alethes Sophia.
