I am a below-average performer in billiards, darts, golf, tennis, and
archery. On a few occasions, in each sport, I have been miraculously
successful. I believe that an underlying ability is disabled by a brain
within the brain that interferes while attempting to monitor and control.
While I cannot reliably turn off this brain, it has switched off under the
following conditions: mild inebriation (for billiards & darts), 'wrong'
approach (playing tennis as if it were squash), no practice (golf), and
not aiming (archery). Also, my speaking fluency in native or foreign
languages varies. I've shared these observations with others but few
report similar experiences. (Are LO participants uniquely afflicted?)
I would not describe these experiences as 'learning that should be
unlearned.' That formulation implies that the learning is specific to a
kind of performance, and also that the limitation develops gradually.
Instead, I would say that I have a general blockage (covering many similar
tasks), and that the blockage presents abruptly and chronically. The
problem may be the use of an explicit knowledge processor to monitor tacit
knowledge performance. An appropriate monitor is available but is
inaccessible.
-- Kent Myers kent_myers@smtplink.sra.com Richard S. Carson Associates Falls Church, VA 703 803-2430