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<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face="Lucida Handwriting" size=4>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face="AGaramond Bold">Bill Mann has
written:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face="AGaramond Bold" size=4>"Clifford:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face="AGaramond Bold" size=4>"... what would you say
about a predator-prey situation (e.g. wolf and rabbit) where the rapid approach
of the wolf is being perceived, interpreted and assigned significance by the
rabbit, who then runs away. How is that communication?</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face="AGaramond Bold" size=4>"Perhaps on some
dependency scale, interaction is more basic than communication.
</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face="AGaramond Bold" size=4>"If you wish to take this
up, please bring it back to the list.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face="AGaramond Bold" size=4>"Best wishes.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face="AGaramond Bold" size=4>"Bill Mann"</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#000000 face="AGaramond Bold">To which I reply to Bill and all
interested:</FONT></DIV></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="AGaramond Bold" size=4> Whether by nature or
by nurture, experienced rabbits generally fear wolves (and a great many other
animals including most humans). Your wolf's presence, was
perceived and interpreted by your rabbit which did what rabbits do if
they able and wish to survive. The rabbit had no illusions about
wolves <EM><STRONG>communing with </STRONG></EM>rabbits. Whether the wolf
intended to communicate its presence to the rabbit or not, it did so;
perhaps even silently, your rabbit got the
message. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT color=#0000ff face="Lucida Handwriting"
size=4>************</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="AGaramond Bold" size=4> I can think of no
<STRONG>communication event </STRONG>in which a
<STRONG>"receiver" </STRONG>(accidentally or volitionally) perceives input
from a <STRONG>sender </STRONG>and does not volitionally interpret
(accurately or inaccurately) the <STRONG>"sender's"
</STRONG>message . Not to interpret would preclude there
being a communication event. <FONT face="AGaramond Bold"> (Yes, ole'
taciturn Luke was an cool communicator. Recall how he
intentionally caused his captors and other inmates (communicatees)
to perceive and misinterpret his speech and actions so he could
escape?) </FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="AGaramond Bold" size=4> Perceiving may
be unintentional, and communication may be precluded by a possible receiver
ignoring intended percepts. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="AGaramond Bold" size=4>
However, volitional (intentional and/or instinctive) interpretation is
a necessary part of each communication event. From the point of view
of the receiver, volition is not a variable because there is no
communication event if there is no interpretation.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="AGaramond Bold" size=4> It appears to me that
many attempts to clarify the concept, <EM>communication,</EM> fall short
because they approach the matter more from the perspective of the sender than of
the receiver.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=4><FONT
face="AGaramond Bold"> </FONT><FONT
face="AGaramond Bold"> Because "intention" is a problem when
attempting to define <EM>communication (</EM>as recent list postings
indicate). Because it is less a problem when the concept is
approached from the receiver's point of view than from the senders, I approach
the task from the perspective of the former rather than the
latter.</FONT></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="AGaramond Bold">
Best,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="AGaramond Bold">Clifford Lutton</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="AGaramond Bold"><A
href="mailto:lexes@mindspring.com">lexes@mindspring.com</A></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="AGaramond Bold">300 West Parkwood Road</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="AGaramond Bold">Decatur, GA 30030-2823, USA</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="AGaramond Bold"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="AGaramond Bold"></FONT> </DIV>
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<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Clifford:</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Off the record (and off of the list), what would you say about a
predator-prey situation (e.g. wolf and rabbit) where the rapid approach of the
wolf is being perceived, interpreted and assigned significance by the rabbit,
who then runs away. How is that communication?</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Perhaps on some dependency scale, interaction is more basic than
communication. </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>If you wish to take this up, please bring it back to the list.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Best wishes.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Bill Mann</DIV>
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A href="mailto:lexes@MINDSPRING.COM" title=lexes@MINDSPRING.COM>Clifford
Lutton</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A
href="mailto:FUNKNET@listserv.rice.edu"
title=FUNKNET@listserv.rice.edu>FUNKNET@listserv.rice.edu</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, February 22, 2001 2:40
PM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> Re: Assumptions about
Communication</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="AGaramond Bold" size=5>IMHO FWIW, communication occurs when
the presence, appearance, and/or act(s) of one being are perceived and
interpreted (assigned significance) by another being.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="AGaramond Bold" size=5>Clifford Lutton</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="AGaramond Bold" size=5>300 West Parkwood Road</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="AGaramond Bold" size=5>Decatur, Georgia
30030-2823</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="AGaramond Bold" size=5>(404) 371-8935</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="AGaramond Bold" size=5><A
href="mailto:lexes@mindspring.com">lexes@mindspring.com</A></FONT></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>