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Missile Defense

Russian military leaders have expressed concern about US plans for a national missile defense system. Will defense technology be limited by possibilities for a strategic imbalance? Is this just SDI all over again?

rshowalter - 06:56am Apr 7, 2001 EST (#2076 of 2078)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

1431 - A lot about America is set up to cut off understanding -- to stop questions from being asked - to prevent closure. rshowalter 3/24/01 10:03am And, of course, this is true of other cultures, too. Many of the patterns involved for cutting off understanding depend on limitations of human memory, and human ability to handle complexity, that are being extended by the internet - something Dawn Riley and I have tried to illustrate, in a small way, with this thread.

1432-1435: Logical incrementalism, and Latent Sematic analysis, and persuasion.
rshowalter 3/24/01 12:14pm
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rshowalter 3/24/01 12:50pm

" The need for repetition, for multiple views, for multiple pieces of evidence, is a central reason why people in interaction exchange such a huge number of words, and is also an essential reason why, regardless of eloquence or logical correctness, there may have to be STAFF WORK to generate enough information to build a case that satisfies and persuades PEOPLE so that they can actually ACT."

Otherwise the truth, though it may be uncontradicted, and logically ample, will be "somehow, too weak.

rshowalter - 07:12am Apr 7, 2001 EST (#2077 of 2078)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

From the Preface to STRATEGIES FOR CHANGE: Logical Incrementalism by J. B. Quinn ........... 1980
rshowalter 3/24/01 1:15pm

" ...misjudgements and lies are expensive. And too much complication itself is expensive. Einstein's guidance is good here: A good strategy, like a good theory, should be

" as simple as possible, but not simpler."

rshowalter 3/24/01 1:18pm
"Peace, if it is to work at all, has to have some essentail core traits that are simple ."

Suggestion for an exercise and diagnostic in communication and complex cooperation. rshowalter 3/24/01 1:26pm

A way to understand essential hidden details of of complex negotiation in the US -- as an aid to better cooperation, and workable, well defended, mutually satisfactory peace. Study of a small, well documented "war." rshowalter 3/24/01 1:33pm

Another way to understand complexities in communication and complex cooperation, that involves me and the University of Wisconsin, and that seems to show some potential for a full redemptive solution to another "small war -- or paradigm conflict" would be to study interactions that have taken place, and are evolving, with respect to me at UW. Just now, I'm a bit overwhelmed, with their initiatives and some stresses here. But I'm both interested and pleased.

If Russia and other countries understood, in detail, one such test case, they'd understand better some things that have happened to them in the past, and would also know more that could be useful about opportunities and sound hopes for a better future.

If they could understand key patterns with respect to smaller things, or conflicts safely over, they would be more able to deal with prolems of military balance and peacemaking, where anxieties, for unchangeable reasons, are intense for all concerned.

rshowalter - 07:19am Apr 7, 2001 EST (#2078 of 2078)
Robert Showalter showalte@macc.wisc.edu

Point of information. I did not vote for George Bush. However, if either John McCain or Colin Powell had been the Republican candidate, I would have voted Republican, rather than vote for Al Gore, who also, I believe, would have made a reasonably good president.

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