Fussy Models

One of the goals of science is to create a model by which predictions can be made. Plato was fond of models and often referred to them as form and matter. Loosly paraphrased, It was his argument that forms existed outside of matter - that there was an ethereal equivalent to what was taking place here on Earth in the 'real' existence. Aristotle argued the point: he more or less felt that there was no form without reality.

Hence, the question of the ages: Funtion or Form; Substance or Art; Elvis or the Beatles.

Nostrabobus naturally feels the reality is somewhere in the middle. What good is a bottle opener that looks like a sccubus if you can't open the bottle?

What this clearly shows is that there are probably two ways of looking at something - and here's the catch - they are both right.

Plato was enlightened and Aristotle was an over achiever - nothing wrong with either sentiment. Plato could never have produced an Alexander the Great, whilst - of course - Aristotle could.

The first class of upper division communication course had a survey of no less than 26 communication theories. About half of them dealt with specific circumstances - how to predict the outcome of group management, spousal relationships, and so forth. And though these things are important for the management of one's life - it does not get to the mechanics or the heart of why something happens - only that it does. These latter, response models are mostly about function - what works and what doesn't. The balance had more to do with mechanics of communication - why does something work, not how. To me mechanis are by far the greater of the two to study. Mechanics and Form and Models have, in the short run, some advantages over Function. Keep in mind, Function works well when you want to get something done now, but it's uses are limited to a specific event and doesn't always take into account unintended consequences.

A familial example: Slapping Junior on the hand may get him to stop doing something right this instant (an example of function) but it also draws attention to the something that he's going to look at in the future. Mommy may not care at this moment about the future - but that could very well be a mistake. Mostly because on a communication level, not everything is being taken into account - it's only a part of teh communication model being expressed here. Taking the time out later to explain why Junior should not put a fork into the socket would better complete the cycle - it takes into account more of the communication model.