To further build on what Phillip contributed to this "unlearning"
theme, I'd like to add some stuff from complex adaptive systems
theory.
John Holland, among others, has demonstrated that innovation,
adaptation and learning over generations is a matter of
recombination. That is, what is learned is not rejected or
"unlearned" but is rechunked, accessed in new contexts, combined with
previously unrelated areas, etc. The power of evolution is that the
old is continually recombined to create the new.
At the human level, it is not unlearning that is wanted. We do not
need to forget nor invalidate anything in our learning. (If we did,
was it "learning"?)
The challenge is to reduce the automaticity, the entrainment, the
deep pathways. That is, to be able to think, rethink, transform, use
newly, rechunk, recombine, etc. It is the grip of the past we want
to loosen rather than "unlearn".
But, maybe like "the learning organisation" itself, unlearning is a
catching phrase and we shouldn't fight it. As long as we remember
what we are after and don't damage ourselves with a distorted
pursuit, it may be that more progress will be made with such terms.
Or .... is it the use of such "catchy" terms that has good thinking
turn into management fads?
Michael McMaster : Michael@kbddean.demon.co.uk
book cafe site : http://www.vision-nest.com/BTBookCafe
Intelligence is the underlying organisational principle
of the universe. Heraclitus
--Michael McMaster <Michael@kbddean.demon.co.uk>
Learning-org -- An Internet Dialog on Learning Organizations For info: <rkarash@karash.com> -or- <http://world.std.com/~lo/>