Australian General Semantics Society Inc.

   

            

 

Seminar Summary - 14th September 2014

 

"Mistakes People Make when Learning GS"
We will learn about typical mistakes,
and hopefully develop skill to move beyond them!
Led by Mr David Hewson

The "Catch-up" session was rather extended this month, because of the multifarious "beyond GS" activities of the members. 

We enjoyed a "perfect Spring day" in the comfort of Gavan and Pauline's home "Clifftop View", and another "Callaghan Culinary masterpiece" for lunch - Thank you, G & P!

A few scattered thoughts from David's as-usually-well-structured facilitation of the day ...

* Recollections on the ways that we misinterpret reality:
       ~ Black-and-white thinking,
       ~ Filtering,
       ~ Over-generalising,
       ~ Fact-inference confusion,
       ~ "Fortune telling",
       ~ Emotional reasoning,
       ~ Personalising.
    It was not hard for (most of) us to identify numerous such failings in our own lives,
    and to apply some General Semantics formulations to assist.!

    Bob Eddy's book "Graymanship" - correlations with GS?

* Issues around healing strategies:
        ~ "Faith healing" as opposed to "miracles" - experiences and theories,
        ~ SBS video on "The Placebo Effect", and how it shows observable neurological responses,
           and real physiological transformations!
        ~ Discussions on the power of suggestion,
           and the interpretation of this via the Structural Differential.

* Nutritional issues,
        ~ particularly focussing on "good bacteria" in the gut, and
           importance of fibre etc in our diet.


Annual General Meeting:

We followed the usual Agenda, noting particularly the sad loss of our Founder, mentor, teacher and advocate, Laurie Cox.

Unfortunately we are also set to lose Prof. Gabriel and Lily Donleavy from our Sydney community, but not our wider Australian GS community.  Gabriel has accepted a position at the University of New England, in Armidale (about six hours drive from Sydney).  They expect to take up residence year at the start of next year.

Office-bearers were elected for the year ahead as follows:

President:               Robert James,
Vice Pres:              Jeanne James,
Treasurer:              Gavan Callagham,
Secretary:               Pauline Callaghan,
Public Officer:        David Hewson,
Education Officer: Robert James.


Next Meeting:

Sunday 18 October 2014
"ETC: A Review of General Semantics"
We'll have a little review of some recent works.
Led by Mr Robert James


WritingThis is a "living document", subject to ongoing evolution as recollections re-emerge from our memories of the event, and are re-evaluated in light of ongoing experience and reflection.  It will never be "the full truth and nothing but the truth", or "a map that expresses everyone's notion of the territory"!


~0~


Disclaimer: This "summary" is a collection of notes derived from our discussion by a number of means.  It is by no means a scholarly dissertation on the subject as presented.  It does not purport to be the "policy of AGS".  Comment and criticism (constructive or otherwise) is welcome.  If anyone has been misquoted, copyrights infringed or confidences betrayed, please Contact us.
 

 

(Updated by RJ 17/09/2014)

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