'Common Knowledge' c/o Steven Pinker

Steven Pinker's latest book When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows...: 

is subtitled: Common Knowledge and the Mysteries of Money, Power, and Everyday Life.

It is 'common knowledge' that caught my attention. In health care we seek common knowledge on several levels:

person (patient, client) 🠜🠞 healthcare practitioner (whatever their training)
carer - guardian  🠜🠞  healthcare practitioner
person / carer  🠜🠞 team

If we think about the referral processes, interfaces, gateways that people have to negotiate on their way to the above, you see how hard-won common knowledge is.

Critically, the knowledge may be 'common' but how accurate is it?

For the team common knowledge is essential to ensure safety, understanding and continually assessing risk.

In healthcare (and education) for person-centredness we take note of what data is available, but simultaneously begin with a blank sheet. ...

Individual

|

      INTERPERSONAL    :     SCIENCES               

HUMANISTIC =========================  MECHANISTIC      

 SOCIOLOGY  :    POLITICAL 

|

Group

When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows:

'Sometimes, though, private knowledge can no longer be contained even if it is desirable; sometimes something is so evident that it does not even need words to express it. The presidential debate brings to mind a joke Pinker tells about a man in the Soviet Union arrested by the KGB for handing out leaflets, which turn out to be blank sheets of paper. "What is the meaning of this?" they demand. The man replies, "What is there to write? It's so obvious!"' Kelly, p.9.

Pinker, S. (2025). When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows...: Common Knowledge and the Mysteries of Money, Power, and Everyday Life. New York, NY: Scribner.

My source: Jemima Kelly, Life&Arts, FTWeekend, 20/21 September 2025. p.9; and BBC Radio 4 Start the Week - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m002k37y

Image source: https://stevenpinker.com/

Previously: 'blank' : '2+2=?' : 'Book: Love's Labour by Stephen Grosz'

Book review iii. General Psychotherapy: Principles and Common Theoretical Aspects - Rediscovering Humanity

   General Psychotherapy

In chapter 3 neurophysiological development is explored and epigenetic influences (3.2). For a decade or so I've highlighted to students the need for them to be aware of 'omics' which will clearly impact their future careers and subsequent learning. This is detailed also outlining limbic development, through to cognitive-linguistic functioning; and not just learning but forgetting. It is easy to take the self for granted, but here is a description of a self in formation, the neocortex, imagination and role of the pineal gland. Biological radiation of living beings (there is a error in the heading I believe*) is fascinating for reasons already acknowledged. Then it is as if time begins and psychological development can begin (life chances permitting). From the author's practice two cycles are illustrated - growth and transformation drawing on Gestalt thought and all referenced. 

Ever since reading on Goethe's part-whole thought I've been aware of mereology. Chapter 3 also examines intrapsychic and social space in respect of part-whole relationships. I'm continuing this journey so it helpful to find the distinction here also.

"According to the resonance principle, identification with key partial aspects can very quickly lead to an unresolved, formative core conflict. In an individual setting, empty chairs or symbolic locations may serve as backdrops for projection. Distance, posture and line of vision are highly relevant in this regard. In a group setting, forms of constellation work with representatives may be more helpful." p.155.

The book's philosophical content is well realised, fused with history and the development of psychology and neurosciences. Plato's cave is explained and related to tabula rasa: the blank slate (3.6.3). I feel I'm in Plato's cave in trying to look at Hodges' model as a mathematical object. There is encouragement too in Hartmann-Kottek identifying the role of blank slate. Hodges' model is also about forgetting, unconditional positive regard hence a blank slate. Chapter 3 concentrates on approaches to explain our development and personality, quantum-theoretic, Far-Eastern traditions, and Western working towards how we achieve coherence as an integral individual, building and relying on inner and external social and interpersonal resources (Fig. 3.4: Tower of consciousness. p.212.). Energy a key in this part of the book, is summarised in a further figure on background dimensions - combining two-axes of Whole-Parts and Space-time - Spaces of possibilities (p.222).

Chapter 4 is a welcome discussion of systems, interspaces, self, communication again through a cultural lens. Chapter 5 would benefit all healthcare students - an understanding of health and illness. While not tackled here - how we integrate and simultaneously address both requirements in service delivery is the challenge of 21st Century health provision? This is higher level from the outset: Attempts at Classification (5.1). While a  traditional book, reading had an immersive feel for me (with many posts on W2tQ): Diagnostic tools, 2-sided understanding of health and illness, the diagnostic, therapeutic (always kept in sight) reversal of symptoms, fields of tension and resources at various stages of development.

For readers looking for actual therapies, chapter 6 is the practical center of the text. The current state of psychotherapy is likened to the blind people trying to find an elephant in the dark. 'Many paths' in a subtitle is welcome, almost suggesting there is scope for all approaches and perhaps they can meet 'somewhere'? Motivations and politicisation aside, the variety of psychotherapeutic are indeed a treasure. They are listed, comprehensively as far as I can see, including many new to me. They are further sub-divided and considered: clusters through time, behavioural, then considered as per depth and effect levels, verbal - non-verbal, emotions, breathing and meditation, variations in consciousness. 

I've considered blind-spots before and highlight Hodges' model as having a role in situational awareness - hence safety and care assurance. Hartmann-Kottek remains grounded in how blind-spots can affect therapists and patients - individually and in alliances. The therapeutic relationship, transference and countertransference are emphasised once again. Compassion too - as part of a credible relationship - with selective authenticity. Technical points are raised too, the use of counterpart in Gestalt therapy. Some 40 pages of chapter 6 are very practical, with exercises and examples of conversations between patient and therapist to illustrate specific approaches and situations. This is far from a specific therapy manual but there is this quality to the content.

 

 'I' - 'Individual' 'SELF' 'Patient' 'Client'

  |

    INTERPERSONAL    :     SCIENCES               

HUMANISTIC --------------------------------------  MECHANISTIC      

SOCIOLOGY  :   POLITICAL 

|

dyad / couple  family  GROUP community population

psycho- symbolic personal meaning emotion lived experience emotional distance	-somatic

*Living near Manchester in NW England, the city's symbol is a bee (industry..). It appears in the text that 'Being' has become 'Beeing' in some instances - so an extra homely feel here.

Many thanks to Prof. Hartmann-Kottek and Springer for the review copy.

One more post to follow.

Hartmann-Kottek, L. (2022). General Psychotherapy, Principles and Common Theoretical Aspects - Rediscovering Humanity. Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-87466-7

Empty chair image:
https://www.mentalhelp.net/blogs/gestalt-therapy-the-empty-chair-technique/

and a 1 [ Empirical - Tabula Rasa ] 2, 3, 4...

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

individual

Hodges' model: another blank slate

2 a blank slate...	1 Empirical - Tabula Rasa (4th album)
4 and here?	3 as dictated here

group - population

Wikipedia: Tabula rasa

Image: Israbox

Come on Healthcare: catch up will you!

Within philosophy it is recognised that Immanuel Kant provided a means by which the rationalists and empricists can be reconciled. Some background:

In philosophy, rationalism is the epistemological view that "regards reason as the chief source and test of knowledge"[1] or "the position that reason has precedence over other ways of acquiring knowledge",[2] often in contrast to other possible sources of knowledge such as faith, tradition, or sensory experience. More formally, rationalism is defined as a methodology or a theory "in which the criterion of truth is not sensory but intellectual and deductive".[3]  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rationalism

In philosophy, empiricism is an epistemological view which holds that true knowledge or justification comes only or primarily from sensory experience and empirical evidence.[1] It is one of several competing views within epistemology, along with rationalism and skepticism. Empiricists argue that empiricism is a more reliable method of finding the truth than purely using logical reasoning, because humans have cognitive biases and limitations which lead to errors of judgement.[2] Empiricism emphasizes the central role of empirical evidence in the formation of ideas, rather than innate ideas or traditions.[3] Empiricists may argue that traditions (or customs) arise due to relations of previous sensory experiences.[4]

Historically, empiricism was associated with the "blank slate" concept (tabula rasa), according to which the human mind is "blank" at birth and develops its thoughts only through later experience.[5] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Empiricism

If health and social care, must be evidence-based, then as far as Hodges' model is concerned we are then duty-bound to use the most readily available 'evidence' to us, including (while taking liberties?):

• The structure of national health and social care organisations (NHS, DHSS ...)
• Physical infrastructure
• Human Resources Organisation
• Unions and Labour relations
• Texbooks, journal papers, conferences
• Organisational structures from the regional to the local
• Professional bodies and governance of licensing/registration
• Curricula that students follow^
  
• Models, frameworks, teaching and learning tools and methods
• Data, statistics, information and reporting (national, international)
• Research projects ongoing (whatever scale, methods, methodology)
• Accounts from lived experience of patients, carers and public (^and students)
• Policy
• Funding
• Law relating to Health and Social Care
• Public (Mental) Health? Discuss
• Media (Social) Control, Advertising
• . . .
  

Hodges' model: Structure and Content

Using this evidence, we still see the Cartesian divide, the mind-body distinction writ large in health and social care. The continuing impact is evident in theory, practice, (hence) lived experience, policy and managment. Since its creation in the 1980s, Hodges' model mirrors (literally) this philosophical, epistemological and ontological legacy, thereby acknowledging the ancient history of medicine, and 'modern' development of healthcare and nursing. Through this device, Hodges' model can facilitate debate, critique, reflection, and critical thinking; to encourage progress in our thought, motivations, action and subsequent evaluation.

This explains the structure of Hodges' model and predicts the range (contextual signature) of content when the model is applied.

Evidence permitting of course!

See also: BBC The Great Philosophers:

Series 1: 4. Descartes

Series 1: 5. Spinoza and Leibniz

Series 1: 8. Kant

n.b. I video taped this marvellous series when first screened. When studying for my BA(Hons), audio taped, they also provided a great learning resource in the car. The programmes are on BBC 4 (UK) once again, but are readily accessible.

The Longitude and Latitude of Care ...

... and what lies between

As I continue to reflect upon Hodges' model (PROCESS 0 : 4 DOMAINS and other posts) I can see two influences on what it contains and how it works practically and more formally - what logic(s) might apply? The first is the binary state of: blank template, or empty set. The other is initiated when we start to populate the model with care concepts. Whether '0' or '1' the situation - context of the clinical encounter, has a bearing on both. Imagine, a student armed with an explanation of Hodges' model - having just 'created' the model through a seminar (Socratic dialogue); then, presented with a blank template they are ready to begin, while they listen to their mentor and a patient/client/carer? Alternately, a qualified practitioner examines their previous 'notes', with a patient, evaluating progress.

Imagination aside, I'm wondering (as ever!) about the what, how and why of the significance implied in placing concepts x,y, and z. What is the justification, if any, beyond seeking to assure person-centred, integrated, safe and high quality care? Restating the question, when concepts are placed in the 'INDIVIDUAL' domains what are the relationships between them, the model and the interactions that determined them?

Perhaps, I ask too much of this model? Are there underlying properties that characterise concepts placed in a domain and so distinguish them from others: (INTRA-)INTERPERSONAL - SCIENCES?

The model is acknowledging, incorporates the Cartesian divide: Mind-Body. When I write and advocate that the model supports integrated care, at one point do, can these two domains merge, 'collapse' into one?

 INDIVIDUAL

|

 INTERPERSONAL    :     SCIENCES               

HUMANISTIC --------------------------------------  MECHANISTIC      

SOCIOLOGY  :   POLITICAL 

|

GROUP

The Art & Science of Health: [conceptual scraps ii]

The contrast here within health care is quite stark, we can distinguish between scraps of paper in two ways ...

1. Whatever we do with care needs; confirm them from the referral and possibly (usually) identify additional care needs (and educational opportunities also..?), assess, plan, intervene, and evaluate - that scrap of paper (or its digital analogue) should initially be blank, untainted by judgements, bias and assumptions.
2. As soon as the scrap of paper is populated - scribed-upon then its value and the responsibility of those who access it subsequently is suddenly weighed and measured by law and accountability.

In the first case, ownership is not relevant, in that there is nothing, as yet, to 'own'. Values however can still be represented, if the staff's attitude towards the new patient, client, service user or administration terms referral, contact, triage case is similarly 'neutral'.*

In the second case, when the print hits the page by whatever means the stakes are suddenly raised. The law has a say in what is expected, permissible and reasonable conduct by those gathering data, creating a record, holding, copying and transferring the record in part, or whole and its accuracy, destruction and disposal.

*Of course, even when blank, forms - templates can have proprietary value and may well be protected, copyrighted and trademarked.

to be continued ...

Related post - Part 1:
The Art & Science of Health: [conceptual scraps i]

THE GRID by Eli Payne Mandel

individual

|

INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

|

group

[125] 'Therefore, a mathematician babbles when he refers to cutting a given line in two. The actual line that he shows to us on the abacus has length and width. But the line he has in mind is a stroke with length and no width. What is drawn on the abacus cannot be such a stroke, and he who goes about cutting it cuts not the line that is but the line that is not.' (Sextus Empiricus, Against the Mathematicians 9.282) (n.b. The above is printed upside-down on the page.) Scatter the trace of the vessel from the ash. Pythagoras here is riddling about confusion and mental cloudiness, for if one wants to do philosophy one must pass over physical and sensible demonstration in favor of abstract argumentation. The ash is analogous to the dust on the abacus in which diagrams are delimited and proofs brought to an end.  (Iamblichus, Exhortation to Philosophy 34)' p.55

'[1] In ancient Greek, an abacus is a sand table. 'The abacist draws lines and maybe moves pebbles around the lines. When done, she wipes the sand blank.  [2] A board or slab for drawing, computation, games; a cutting board. Technical term, likely to be a loanword, but conjectured origin in Hebrew abãq "dust" remains unproven. --  Pierre Chantraine, Dictionnaire etymologique de la langue greque.' p.10.

'[122] The abacus computes and it erases. It tells a life. Then gambles it away. Achilles and Ajax sit down to play a game of dice. They have hung up their shields. They lean on their spears. They are tired. The Anatolian air is cold off the water. Attendants wrap them each in wool cloaks thick with eight-pointed stars. The stars wander along eddies and meanders. The only straight lines are servants of error. Their fingers are on the abacus, but Achilles and Ajax do not play, do not speak, lost in the maze of their cloaks. [124] The first reference in Western literature to written language is in the Iliad. An unsuspecting  man in a story is carrying semata lygra / grapsas en pinaki ptukto thymophthora polla: baleful signs written on a folded tablet, utterly soul-  destroying. The words, which some scholars conjecture to be Linear B, spell out the man's death, and the reader murders  the unreading man. After the murder, Death Wipes the tablet  blank and folds it back again.' p.54.

'[3] Because dust blows away and only the slab remains, an abacus is also the part of a column in immediate contact with what it supports. If that structure no longer survives, the abacus upholds the edifice of the sky.' p.10.

THE GRID by Eli Payne Mandel, Carcanet Press. 2023.

https://www.elipmandel.com/

Previously on W2tQ (with overlap):

arts :: drama :: poetry :: literature :: narrative

Deep *and* Broad ... Hodges' model is no blank slate ...

"Beyond deep learning

Steeper than expected

Different researchers have different ideas about how to try to improve things. One idea is to widen the scope, rather than the volume, of what machines are taught. Christopher Manning, of Stanford University's AI Lab, points out that biological brains learn from far richer data-sets than machines. Artificial language models are trained solely on large quantities of text or speech. But a baby, he says, can rely on sounds, tone of voice or tracking what its parents are looking at, as well as a rich physical environment to help it anchor abstract concepts in the real world. This shades into an old idea in AI research called "embodied cognition", which holds that if minds are to understand the world properly, they need to be fully embodied in it, not confined to an abstracted existence as pulses of electricity in a data-centre.

Biology offers other ideas, too. Dr Brooks argues that the current generation of AI researchers "fetishise" models that begin as blank slates, with no hand-crafted hints built in by their creators. But "all animals are born with structure in their brains," he says. 'That's where you get instincts from.'" p.11.

The Economist, Technology Quarterly: Artificial intelligence and its limits. The Economist, June 13 2020, 435:9198. [and image source].

'Deep and Broad' - as required.

Designing for Changing Values (Event & Journal CfP)

I learned of the following research project via

Philos-L "The Liverpool List" Department of Philosophy, University of Liverpool
[ https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/philosophy/philos-l/ @PhilosL ]

- with news of a call for papers:

CFP: Corpus Analysis, Conceptual Change, and Socially Disruptive Technologies

Hodges' model is ideally to suited to critique of systems and socio-technical dimensions as previously described:

Jones, P. (2009) Socio-Technical Structures, the Scope of Informatics and Hodges’ model, IN, Staudinger, R., Ostermann, H., Bettina Staudinger, B. (Eds.), Handbook of Research in Nursing Informatics and Socio-Technical Structures, Idea Group Publishing, Inc. Chap. 11, pp. 160-174.

Plus, there are many posts tagged 'socio-technical' - hyphenated to emphasize the inter- multi- trans-disciplinary bridges that the model provides (some posts are also tagged 'sociotechnical').

The research project Designing for Changing Values provides encouragement here for the increasing relevance of Hodges' model:

How to Deal with Value Change in Sociotechnical System Design

"Not value neutral

A key insight from philosophy of technology is that technological artifacts and sociotechnical systems are not value neutral, but support or inhibit certain values. Several philosophical accounts for understanding the embedding of values in technological artifacts have been proposed and approaches like Value Sensitive Design, Design for Values and Responsible Innovation have been established for integrating values into technical design.

A theoretical blind spot

A blind spot is, however, the possibility of value change after a sociotechnical system has been designed. For example, when many of our current energy and transportation systems were designed sustainability was not yet a central value, and we are now struggling to incorporate this value into these systems. Progress in the field is currently inhibited by the lack of a philosophical theory of value change in sociotechnical systems.

Better design strategies

This project fills the gap by developing such a theory. It moves beyond the state of the art by proposing a dynamic rather than a static account of values, by developing insights in the dynamics of value change, by extending analysis about the embedding of values in technical artefacts to sociotechnical systems and by developing design strategies that aim at designing sociotechnical systems that can better deal with value change."

https://www.valuechange.eu/

I do wonder about the subjective-objective and qualitative-quantitative 'metrics' of value and values (and other metrics - change, complexity, emergence). In human and mechanistic terms there are marked differences too between value and values. Values are, should, must be, embedded in individual nurses and hence the domains of Hodges' model. This is how (in part) the model supports reflection, and critical thinking.

No surprise then being created for practice, Hodges' model is dynamic. The model can help capture and present an ongoing sequence of frames. Where were we? Where are we going? How have things changed? (This is

Hodges' model prompted the thought of 'holistic bandwidth', the call for papers on corpus analysis seeks examples of formal work. The model, initially blank provides a conceptual framework upon which to capture a conceptually situated corpus. The structure of Hodges' model is a foundation for a relational ontology that draws upon semantic distance between the model's two axes (as per the table below):

INDIVIDUAL <-> GROUP 

HUMANISTIC <-> MECHANISTIC

Not just that but the synonyms that may apply. So for 'individual': person, patient, client, self, client, 'I', 'me', Peter, Chi, student, teacher and whatever role is applicable. This point is vital as there is a potential and workflow that runs from:

1. Neutral, blank, non-judgemental (the model as a template): the content - empty, null state.

2. The model's essential structure.

With a potential for conceptual explosion - from a basic (very simplistic) inherent corpus, to one that is explicit:

3. A response to a situation, a context.

4. That then changes according to events, aims, objectives, strategies, philosophical perspective (recovery, strengths, self-care), policy emphasis ...

In health and social care as suggested above we would hope that the model is employed to shift from the general to the specific - person-centred approach.

 INDIVIDUAL
|

 INTERPERSONAL    :     SCIENCES               

HUMANISTIC --------------------------------------  MECHANISTIC      

SOCIOLOGY  :   POLITICAL 

|

GROUP

value(S)	VALUE(S)
value(s)	VALUE(S)

This conceptual framework is not limited to strategy either, but can also encompass deliberation on operational and tactical concerns.


See also:

Soc. Philosophy & Technology Conf: Charleston, S.C. 8-11 July 2007

20/20 vision minus 1, 2, or 4 blind spots....

'corpus'

Jones, P. (2012). Exploring several dimensions of local, global and glocal using the generic conceptual framework Hodges's model. The Journal Of Community Informatics. 8(3). Retrieved from https://openjournals.uwaterloo.ca/index.php/JoCI/article/view/3034

Jones P. Exploring the relationship of threshold concepts and Hodges’ model of care from the individual to populations and global health. Rev Cuid. 2017; 8(3): 1697-720. http://dx.doi.org/10.15649/cuidarte.v8i3.464

What is the foundation of h2cm? Gabora & Aerts 2009

I've described h2cm as a foundation, a substrate for the health and social care assessments that follow. And that's the question: what is there before the conceptual framework is populated? As a foundation the model is initially empty, void, null. In terms of theory, practice, values and judgements there are none. The piece of paper is blank. So is the screen. Once (quickly) learned, the professionals have the conceptual framework in mind (ready to call upon), but it is not exercised. Until they encounter a patient, client, carer amid a situation, the conceptual space is empty.

Lund, Hobykrok B&B in the distance - the farm track

If we allow for the structure to permanently reside what then? Does this situation produce an array of potential? An array of potential concepts? Nurses are used to potential and actual problems (often re-framed as strengths). It seems this is the case with language, the amazing compositional scope of different words to produce sentences and meanings.

In a way I don't want to venture into this space. There are monsters there. I know the above is far removed from nursing. Where is  compassion, dignity, respect, plans and empathy in all this? ... Once the care concepts are realised then: yes - do lead the way. But before the light is turned on: no.

No: but there is no choice. The question needs to be asked and settled.

Liane Gabora gave a talk at Conceptual Spaces At Work. Checking back on her previous work I found this (SCOP: State COntext Property theory of concepts):

An important notion in SCOP is the ground state of a concept, denoted p. This is the ‘raw’ or ‘undisturbed’ state of a concept; the state it is in when it is not being evoked or thought about, not participating in the structuring of a conscious experience (such as, most likely, the concept ZEBRA when you began reading this paper). The ground state is the state of being not disturbed at all by the context. One never experiences a concept in its ground state; it is always evoked in some context. The notion of ground state is somewhat similar to the notion of prototype. The ground state is a theoretical construct; it cannot be observed directly but only indirectly through how the concept interacts with various contexts (which may include other concepts). p. 436.

Gabora, L., Aerts, D. (2009) A model of the emergence and evolution of integrated worldviews, Journal of Mathematical Psychology. 53, 434–451.

Two abstracts for 2024 inc. Philosophy at Play Conference

This month, in addition to an abstract for:

MYTH, RITUAL AND PRACTICE FOR THE AGE OF ECOLOGICAL CATASTROPHE

https://hodges-model.blogspot.com/2023/09/myth-ritual-env-religion.html

- there is an invitation to submit a paper abstract for:

The sixth Philosophy at Play Conference will be hosted by the Faculty of Education at the Complutense University in Madrid on June 3-5, 2024

No one likes to waste time^, but whether or not these abstracts are accepted, the thought and effort will extend my thinking and application of Hodges' model. Beyond initial thoughts below, I need to check on the key issues in the philosophy of play:

INDIVIDUAL

|

     INTERPERSONAL    :     SCIENCES               

HUMANISTIC --------------------------------------  MECHANISTIC      

SOCIOLOGY  :   POLITICAL 

|

GROUP

play therapy (distraction ...) being outdoors: psychological impact of green symbolic play mental games - play intellectual skill, creativity imagination in play individual play child - verbalisation cognitive and character development - morality, personal ethics 'illness' norms - anhedonic addictive quality of gaming role of advertising play theology - utopia

play senses, kinaesthetics, embodiment accessibility information at play: uncertainty, bluff, prediction - movement, strategy functional play - toys/objects activities - performance space: arena, field, theatre games / sport - physical contest gaming as work / effort / energy gaming as tech/software simulation gaming 'in' Virtual Reality (tech's role in disrupting (idealised?) play? Games/Gaming as rules/process quantitative research - evidence

social inclusion/exclusion sociology of play (and in arts) socialisation language: "= playing field" role play :: fancy dress socio-cultural dimensions - history traditional play/games social behaviour, status, participation turn-taking, stigma (cheating) sports etiqette, 'fair play' team games (team building - work) Serres - Myth, History Harlequin - mischief

politics of play studies: oppression, marginalisation, erasure, vulnerable groups, exploitation* 'export' of games hegenomy, hierarchies software colonialism (Africa)** debates: guns in play, weapons, 'shoot em up' FROM: child's-play TO: gamesmanship whose rules, control of space? governance & politics of play economies of play 'A nation at play' media - controls - consumerism, advertising gambling THEOLOGY

*An example - previously:

Loot boxes: GET YOURS TODAY!

^Since posting: I realise that 'neutrality' in play (studies) and the call here appears an important concept. Clinically, Hodges' model can literally reflect unconditional positive regard, as a template the model provides a 'blank slate'; as long as we are being authentic and not 'playing games'.

In terms of this conference, can Hodges' model act as a referee - by providing a neutral space? It would appear so, but this is quickly challenged - if not illusory.

That neutrality is lost in the blink of an eye - shattered even, by a twist, a step of a foot. A shift from the nexus, center of the model - the neutrality is comprised. All of a sudden the observer is forced to play. Or at least there is an invitation to contextualize; psychologically, physically, socially, politically or spiritually.

A game to play in itself?

**c/o Bytes for All mailing list:

"Software colonialism is killing Africa" - Neville Roy Singham  

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsKcQsfCDg8

BBC - Software Development in Africa

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VeDSLX8KFE0

Agnotology - (a) space for ignorance?

 Chapter 1 of Agnotology (Proctor, 2008) begins with two quotations:

“We are often unaware of the scope and structure of our ignorance. Ignorance
is not just a blank space on a person's mental map. It has contours and coher-
ence, and for all I know rules of operation as well. So as a corollary to writing
about what we know, maybe we should add getting familiar with our ignorance.”
Thomas Pynchon, 1984

“Doubt is our product.”
Brown & Williamson Tobacco Company, internal memo, 1969

The discovery of this book and its title, was quite an event.

Proctor, Robert N. and Schiebinger, Londa (Eds.). AGNOTOLOGY The Making And Unmaking Of Ignorance. (2008): Stanford University Press, Stanford, California.

 

 

Previously on W2tQ:

'ignorance'

'smoking'

Hodges' model: a blanc space, neutral for structure & content

On twitter today I mentioned the discovery of the book Panaesthetics by Daniel Albright. It was a buy in the end. A great discovery saddened to then learn that its author is no longer with us. Although I have not read it there will be much to draw from it: literally. I have often written about Hodges' model being initially a neutral space, a blank sheet. What is a starting position is always political as with Hodges' model. Its structure regiments the paper it is drawn upon. The presence of a political care - knowledge domain makes a statement. Structurally and in content the sense of neutrality is broken. Albright points to historical support as he discusses "What is painting?".

"White, said Superville, is an innocent peaceful color, calming us in the way that pure snow or moonlight calms. Black implies "silence and solitude, sadness, death, and oblivion"; red is "the hieroglyph of life and movement . . . the excess of luminous rays, just as the colour black is its absorption and annihilation." But this correlation of color with emotional state is less original than Superville's belief that color and lines are "the identical signs of one invariable language, and the associations of the one automatically imply the associations of the other" - every color corresponds to a linear pattern, every linear pattern presupposes a certain color. Superville provides a diagram to prove his point: red throws its arms into the air; black is stooped, submissive; "white , an invariable, pure sign, like the horizontal line, occupies the middle space between two extremes" (fig. 27)." p.102.

This is not the exact figure from the book but the meaning is relayed (I think).

A contact from the OU and 'The Difference that Makes a Difference' Conferences David Chapman kindly commented on this post on Facebook:

David Chapman "White is an innocent, peaceful, color". Except when it is the colour of the KKK, colonialism and slavery? I like the use of the shapes and can see that there may be ideas you can use in the quad, though.

Unlike · Reply · 1 · March 4 at 8:44am

I've expanded on my Facebook response below:

Thanks David, Yes I realise there's a potentially racist tone to this "white as pure". It is of course about the ideas, structure and form. I still refer implicitly to Michel Serres' work and the significance of 'blanc' and in previous posts. There are many ethnocultural connotations as to how black, white, greys and colours are interpreted and what they mean. As a tool it is important that Hodges' model conveys neutrality. In this case no emotional, value-based stance is taken.

Another thought from the past I recall is the BBC micro wordprocessor View and its appearance on a monochrome (Phillips) screen. Green on black (the new 'blanc'?) worked best. The penultimate blanc is the night sky...?

Albright, D. (2014) Panaesthetics On the Unity and Diversity of the Arts. New Haven: Yale University Press.

Diagram: http://www.dezenovevinte.net/obras/av_rc_baile_en.htm

"Models, Theories and Concepts" c/o Smith (1994). Plus ça change ...

"Whilst the impracticality of unified approaches has been noted for some time (McFarlane, 1976), it is still considered that many theories, in their efforts to explain everything, succeed only in explaining nothing (Draper, 1990). Therefore, as Kenny (1992) points out, the use of theories and models in nursing has resulted in sweeping generalizations which 'are not always personally, culturally or contextually appropriate'.

In overcoming this difficulty many authors advocate that theories of lesser scope and abstraction are considered (McFarlane, 1976; Clarke, 1986; Draper, 1990; Moore, 1990; Ingram, 1991; Reid & Bond, 1991). Such theories have been termed 'mid-range' and address a more limited number of variables in particular situations (scope), whilst being empirically grounded and focusing on practical problems (abstraction) (Rogers & Shoemaker, 1971; Walker & Avant, 1983; Fawcett, 1984; Lowenberg, 1984). According to Clarke (1986), mid-range theories should appeal to practitioners as being more directly accessible conceptually and linguistically. Reed & Robinson (1991) contend that, given the diversity of nursing practice, the search for grand theory is inappropriate and nursing would be better served by developing mid-range theories that are 'more precisely stated, more easily treated and produce more specific indications for practice'." pp. 59-60.

Smith, J.P. (1994) Advanced Nursing Series - Models, Theories and Concepts. Oxford: Blackwell Scientific Publications.

While the structure of Hodges' model is global - 'grand' in scope, the model, as a template is blank and open to whatever conceptual content follows in the practice situation, or context. 'Precision' can be assured using Hodges' model as it can facilitate person-centred care, integrated care, reflection, critical thinking and conceptual development. 

Delivery of high-quality health care is not a given. 

Safe, effective and equitable care is variously dependent upon staffing, the skills and attitudes of individual nurses, staff numbers, skill-mix, team effectiveness and resource allocation. Hodges' model can also assist users to recognise and call-out unmet needs, deficits in the quality of care, and risks to the safety of patients, the public, staff and the profession.

At risk of sounding grand if not grandiose ...

Change will and must follow - in respect of models and theories, not just of and for nursing but health and care at scale.

ERCIM News No. 132 Special theme: "Cognitive AI and Cobots"

Dear ERCIM News reader,

ERCIM News No. 132 has just been published. This issue features a special theme "Cognitive AI and Cobots" showcasing remarkable achievements from research teams in Europe.  

This special theme was coordinated by our guest editors Theodore Patkos (ICS-FORTH) and Zsolt Viharos (SZTAKI).

Thank you for your interest in ERCIM News. Please forward this message to anyone who might be interested. We also appreciate you following and talking about us on Twitter @ercim_news and other social media.

[ Includes:

Cognitive Mimetics and Human Digital Twins – Towards Holistic AI Design
by Antero Karvonen (VTT) and Pertti Saariluoma (Jyväskylä University). p.17.

"Industry is just one example. AI will gradually change the way
people live and work and how society operates. Therefore, it
makes sense to develop AI design as a holistic process in
which social and technical aspects of intelligent technologies
can be simultaneously considered. Such new design practice
can be called holistic AI design. Cognitive mimetics and HDTs
provide key elements in such AI design." p.18.*

Cognitive Machine Argumentation
by Antonis Kakas (University of Cyprus). p.21.

Personalisation of Humanoid Robots: Serious Games for Older Adults Based on Biographical
Memories
by Benedetta Catricalà, Marco Manca, Fabio Paternò, Carmen Santoro and Eleonora Zedda (ISTI-CNR). p.28.

Food Waste Reduction in Healthcare – Challenges in Integrating Usage Data with Scorings
by Johann Steszgal (Steszgal Informationstechnologie GmbH), Peter Kieseberg (St. Pölten UAS) and, Andreas Holzinger (University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna). p.37.
Additional note PJ ]

Next issue:
No. 133,  April 2023
Special Theme: "Data infrastructures and management". Submissions are welcome!

---

About ERCIM

ERCIM - the European Research Consortium for Informatics and Mathematics - aims to foster collaborative work within the European research community and to increase co-operation with European industry. Leading European research institutes are members of ERCIM. ERCIM is the European host of W3C.

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*Hodges' model is ideal for initial scoping, planning, and holistic assurance throughout research, study processes and (case) formulation. The model provides ready-to-mind access to conceptual inter- multi- transdisciplinary bridges (even as we struggle to define the latter), e.g. socio-technical. 

Immediately preceding the above quotation, Karvonen and Saariluoma write:

"Arriving at this point via the cognitive mimetic route yields a deep and rich picture of human-technology co-agency in industrial processes." p.17.

A 'rich picture' (Checkland) is a feasible output of Hodges' model (extending Karvonen and Saariluoma's context). Clinically, this might comprise a 'comprehensive' assessment, or case formulation. It is bounded, guided by being situated, while the clinician's experience and patient's is built up across several encounters (appointments/home visits...). Unpopulated, initially (please see the template in the sidebar) the model serves as an aide-mémoire, an inner critical friend, helping to sustain values, and person-centredness. At a one-to-one(-group) level  integrated care, that is, parity of esteem across physical and mental health, a professional attitude and disposition to practise through unconditional positive regard remain key competencies. Each contact can act as its own 'reset', another blank sheet/slate: what can we learn together on this occasion? In some contexts this 'pause' can assist in risk management and safety - ensuring that the rich picture, and the knowledge gained thus far, does not mean things are taken for granted.

"You're a nurse? How much do you know?"

individual
INTERPERSONAL : SCIENCES

humanistic ------------------------------------------- mechanistic

SOCIOLOGY : POLITICAL

group

Yes, I am a nurse - thanks for asking.

So come on - how much do you know?

Actually, I know very little.

Eh?
Why is that?
Surely you have to be quite knowledgeable,
all the lectures, the training on wards, clinics, out in the community, staying updated too?

ethics, giving bad news, communication, self-awareness, empathy and rapport, recovery model, education...	anatomy & physiology, healing, homeostasis, medicines, basic life support, drug side effects, risk of falls, observations, infection control...
cultural competence, team work, respect and dignity, the 6Cs, carer education, handling conflict, family therapy...	policy, records, scope of practice, continuing education, professional development, confidentiality...

Surely, this little snip points to a packed 'curriculum'?

So it does, but as a nurse you can't make too many assumptions?

Well, yes I suppose so; no-one should pre-judge but you'll have to explain?

[ Now, why am I so pleased you said that...? :-) ]

Well a nurse has to be dispassionate in order to be compassionate.

So... as a nurse you contradict yourself?

No, not exactly. I suppose, given your opening gambit, we have to be neutral, neither hot, nor cold. That way we are sensitive to difference and spotting change. If we think someone is cold, or has a fever then we measure - we find out we check their temperature. So of course some things we can learn based on fact-finding.

Inevitably, assumptions are made as there's a job to do, but it's important not to prejudge. There's a big difference between assumptions, judgements, stereotypes, biases, hypotheses, and the like.

So a nurse can be tepid all the time? Where's the warmth in that, eh?

Good point, but you know what we're about here.
There's general warmth, friendliness, being approachable, civil, being professional.
Then there's warmth as an ingredient in those critical instances.

So, it's a case of yes and no. At first you've to be open-minded. Take the conceptual  framework Hodges' model. Initially it is all structure, but this structure provides four empty care domains - five when wrapped by the spiritual. This can act as a great aide-mémoire.

With a referral you make use of any information that is provided because that's very important too. The information that is received initially is hopefully sufficient to indicate the nature of the problem in broad terms. It may be more specific pointing to an existing diagnosis, a relapse, or multiple diagnoses.

Yes I see. Hodges' model is the blank sheet and as such it is open, non-judgmental.

Yes, but there are also indicators that point to risk, physical - falls for example, plus psychological and mental health aspects like risk of self-harm, harm to others and possibly self neglect. These are the things that must also to be assessed and as such ruled-out.

SELF - SELF -	HARM NEGLECT
HARM TO OTHERS HARM BY OTHERS - ABUSE	VULNERABLE ADULTS ABILITY TO GIVE CONSENT, MENTAL CAPACITY

So when does that 'open-mindedness', or 'neutrality' become closed?

As we learn about someone, we build up a picture that kind-of notion, once known some things are closed as they don't tend to change.

They're concluded?

Yes, but one of the reasons that nursing is such an ace job - and yes I know why your grimacing - but it IS!

Anyway, that first day can be a lesson in dynamics. If not the first day it will soon follow!

So, you have to use many different sources and kinds of knowledge.

Yes, that's right and the best knowledge of all is...?

Well, I guess learning for ourselves is the best, most permanent way.

You have it there. It's a really exciting time for nursing, health and social care. Although they go on about technology and clearly technology has a major role to play. 'IT' is playing a major role and if you listen carefully you can hear the robots...

There is much more to do on that 'humanistic' side.

The open-mindedness, openness and acceptance is a baton that we must pass back to the patient. Self-care, when possible, health literacy skills and competence are crucial now.

It's not just the days that are different either. The people we encounter, the patients, the clients - call them what you will, they are all pearls. Aggregated, yes sure, you see so many oysters; but open and face-to-face as a nurse each one shines, unique and peerless with individuality.

OK. Thanks - that's cool indeed!

Acknowledgement - Stu Young, Royal College of Nursing Students

"You're a nurse? That's cool. How much do you make?"

Notes (ii) from Paipa Conference: Q & A

Q. What is the appeal and relevance of Michel Serres to the Health Care Domains Model [h2cm]?
c/o Fred Manrique / UPTC 

(As per the paper - Exploring Serres’ Atlas, Hodges’ Knowledge Domains and the Fusion of Informatics and Cultural Horizons. 2008)

A. I cannot remember how I came across this French philosopher (Bruno Latour?), but in 2004 I started to read some of his translated texts. Serres' work is not easy to read, but rewards perseverance. Thus enthused I wrote (in my spare time) and eventually submitted a paper to a prestigious nursing journal. This was rejected - twice. Using the feedback I was able to produce the paper that found publication in the informatics field. This is listed in the W2tQ bibliography. Serres' ideas were remarkable in how they spoke to me and reflected in many ways the conceptual framework of h2cm. I need to read more of Michel Serres' work. Ideas of particular appeal include his use of several tropes:

• Harlequin: the uninvited guest (disease, illness?), mischief (health taken-for-grantedness), chaos (the unpredictable);
• blanc: in my presentation I included a blank slide. There it represents every new person, new page - no judgements, positive regard. A page for lifelong learners and being able to self-reflect.
• Hermes: the Greek God, the messenger - information and Serres' early study of information science. The 'underworld' - nursing and medicine - are not for everyone. The importance of ports as a means of information and cultural exchange - today economies see themselves as information ports and the rise of information portals.
• Serres states (as do other commentators) that the Internet will provide opportunities for new scholars, outside of established academic institutions.
• borders, boundaries - the middle: in life we often have to ask do we continue and cross the middle?
• The Planet: Serres is concerned for how we treat the planet. The health care domains can also be utilised to explore the physical and psychological impacts of climate change and the need to attend to human ecology. We are rocking the boat - Earth is our boat.
• ... plus many others - fluid, dynamics, life - rivers - choices, narratives, Home, Angels, statues.

Finally, within "... S E R R E S ..." you will also find H2CM!  

Please see the bibliography for the paper.

Additional links:

Michel Serres on this blog.

http://michelserres.blogspot.com/

More Q and A to follow plus photos and slides. Photo source (PJ, Copenhagen shop window, 2010).

'Person re-identification': In Camera In Care...? [ Ack: ERCIM 108 ]

From: Identifying Persons of Interest in CCtV Camera Networks by Furqan M. Khan and Francois Bremond (Inria) in ERCIM News 108

"Person re-identification is a challenging task because individuals move in all directions, including away from the camera and across the field of view (see Figure 1). Therefore, biometric cues such as face or iris cannot be reliably extracted. Instead, holistic appearance of the person (clothing) or gait is used, which is inherently not as discriminative. Furthermore, due to low resolution, subtleties in gait are difficult to measure. In addition, a person’s appearance in a video is susceptible to illumination, occlusion, camera properties and viewing angle. Finally, for a fully automated system, individuals must be localised using a person detection and tracking algorithm before building their appearance models." p.35.

The above text prompted the musings below as per Hodges' model and a nursing - healthcare context:

Patient (Person) re-identification is a challenging task because patients move through the health and social care systems in many directions, routes and disciplines, including away from the humanistic values that should (must) inform practice for comprehensive assessment (see Figure 1 - Hodges' model). Therefore, mechanistic (that includes biometric) cues AND humanistic perspectives cannot be reliably extracted and integrated. Instead, holistic appearance of the person across four care or knowledge domains can be used. This is inherently not as discriminative as it starts with a blank (neutral) conceptual framework. Furthermore, emergency situations (hopefully) excepted, staffing pressures and time constraints create low resolution accounts and records in terms of person-centeredness and so subtleties in a variety of care strengths and needs (including gait) may be difficult to discern and measure. In addition, a person’s representation in a care episode or encounter is susceptible to communication problems (noise), lack of access to records, whether paper or computer-based, all aggravated by a viewing angle that is still service-centered. Finally, a system that can facilitate holistic, person centered and integrated care for individuals must be self-referential in that it facilitates definition of health and what care (by self, other person [or thing - robot]) encompasses. The system will encourage reflection and critical thinking helping to assure person-centered skills in staff ('person' detection) and continuity of care (tracking algorithm) before building the appearance model: their health career.

Notes (I) for a 2010 introduction to the Health Career Model

.... The structure and composition of Hodges' model can be viewed as a sketch, a back-of-the-envelope idea expressed as a diagram as per (insert figure 1 and 2) and in combination (figure 3). While this is a perfectly valid interpretation it invites the view that Hodges' model is simplistic. In its basic unpopulated form the model is simplistic, in the same way that a blank canvas, computing device display, or piece of paper is simplistic. There is however, much more going on here, consideration of which can lead us to new ways to justify and explain the model.

"Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler"
Albert Einstein

Einstein is helpful because while simple - the model provides the foundation for global conceptual scope (complexity) should this be needed. Hodges' model demonstrates the complexity of health and social care without making it simpler.

"Simplicity means the achievement of maximum effect with minimum means."
Dr. Koichi Kawana, Architect

If Hodges' model is simple, a way to represent the tip of the health and social care iceberg, then why should we then wish for global conceptual scope? The reasons are manifold, but revolve around one factor:

safety.

...

Quotes source: http://www.petefreitag.com/item/496.cfm

The 'animal' in Hodges' model ii

The two pairs of eyes in Hodges' model are provided through the model's two axes

HORIZONTALLY: the humanistic and mechanistic.

VERTICALLY: the individual and the group.

Hodges' model: Axes & Domains
Structure AND Content :: Fight OR Flight

Before delving into this though, let's revisit the model as a template.

Structure aside, Hodges' model acts as a conceptual blank sheet. Overall, the model is also an aide-mémoire. It can prompt us to 'where' we've been, where we need to go in our data gathering, assessment, planning, interventions, evaluations: personal history, family, work and leisure. In an interview how does the patient, client, carer, student ... negotiate the domains of Hodges' model? The model can guide us in what is said, what is omitted - for whatever reason, what is significant within all this; AI-assisted or not.

These two 'horizontal' eyes prompt us to attend to safety, your own, the patient / client and other people in the vicinity. In terms of responding to 'fight', obviously this does not mean you are looking for a fight, but of course you have to be able to defend yourself. Metaphorically, Hodges' model can represent the sword and shield. We are in a fight for justice to secure health services for individuals, families, and the population.

On the side - vision for flight, what is humanistic and mechanistic.

Then, in the vertical axis, there is vision for fighting, for the individual, and the group - population.

In this interplay of person and collective, I'm reminded of Odysseus and the shout "Nobody did it!" (with other sources). It never ceases to amaze, the frequency of this conclusion throughout local, national and global politics?

The individual nightmare of Cyclops; and collective nightmare of the Panopticon.

In mental health nursing you quickly learn about the anatomy^, physiology and psychology of anxiety. Not necessarily simultaneously, but the jig-saw is there to be completed, at least as far as you can as a 1st year student - whatever your health discipline. The pieces that matter (literal keys to action) are provided by the patient, client, carer. ...

In a way it is too late when people are referred to mental health services. Too late for prevention, but given the incoherence between:

• health systems (as usually found & founded)
• government policy -
• state of nutrition - food
• advertising of foods, beverages
• life style choices
• education - health literacy
• individual
• family
• community
• national (curricula)
• NHS? National Health Illness/Disease Service

- this isn't a surprise.

Whatever an individual's sensory capacities and abilities we need to do better. With tools to facilitate situational awareness, and realise an individual's and community's potential to learn and prosper.

^Anatomy? How many of us take for granted our limbs are 'there': ready to react?

Previously: The 'animal' in Hodges' model i

Original source - prompt:
Doniger, Wendy. The Rise and Fall of Warhorses. The New York Review of Books. April 10, 2025. Volume LXXII, Number 6. pp.17-19.