People Become Skilled Experts In...

[Michael Stuart Kelly]

People Become Skilled Experts In...

Here's an idea for a thread.

I don't know how far it will go, but I know there's a lot of material for it.

I want to look at examples of super-human muscle control along with intellectual expertise.

 

This idea came from something I learned recently: that the brain is predominantly made up of 2 types of neurons. The first type processes input from sense organs, makes mental representations (also called abstractions) and goes on from there. This type developed math, logic, and so on from evolution, in addition to massive control of image abstractions and, to a slightly lesser degree but still massive, sound patterns.

The second type of neuron controls muscles in the body. It developed schema, then story from evolution. It's main survival characteristic is that it forms routines of movement (which always have a beginning, middle and end like any story) from growing into them, albeit, it learns new ones all the time.

 

I used the term "skilled experts" in the title to reflect this muscle/abstraction duality. You need muscles for a skill, but you need abstractions for expertise. This is essentially wedding epistemology to action to human values.

When people become experts at a sport through muscle skills along with all the calculations, rules, and so on needed from the abstraction neurons, the results always amaze us.

But pure wonder arises when they become experts in the damnedest things.

Like this lady...

There is only one word for that human being's skill.

Wow.

Michael