iraqi-influence

[Adam Blatner]

>From what I can discern, this "sociogram" is based on second-level inferences... I'm not 
sure exactly what the criterion is. It raises an interesting point, aside from its 
contents:
      If we were to chart the influences of various people on key players in a system, 
say, the twenty or so "leaders" in Western Philosophy in the 18th century, especially 
trying to discern from papers? citations in publications, allusions in their writings...
       But then, to assess influences, we might need to include a range of people from 
other eras who were not, in turn, influenced by main players in the system. For example, 
several people would note the work of Spinoza, who wrote in a previous century, but 
Spinoza, in turn, wouldn't (of course) have been influenced by people who wrote decades or 
even a century after he died.
         The idea of assessing influences, though, is intriguing.

       In the New Republic diagram, was the influenced inferred by a mixture of reports 
from interrogations of suspects, insurgents; and also announcements in the news, articles, 
etc?

        Were any of these folks more scholar-writers, such as the role of Thomas Paine in 
the American Revolution, or were they others who certain people feel are carrying the 
cause and seem most congenial?
        So much depends on how the military war college created this map.

      Influence is awkward, as a criterion: Who has influenced you? Often it is mixed:  A 
influenced me 3+ regarding this, but I felt he was wrong about that---indeed, very wrong! 
It's hard to say how much B influenced me---how do you quantify it? I grant some 
influence, but how much? I took from C three good ideas for my own complex of a hundred 
ideas---so I acknowledge some influence; however, I didn't like C. As for D, I admire him 
so much! In certain undefinable ways I'd like to be like him, but in a number of 
ways---history, activities, career, etc., I cannot and really don't care. It's hard to say 
in what specific way he influenced me, but I feel something, maybe not that much, but real 
and significant...." And so forth. The variations are extensive.

      Thoughts?  Warmly, Adam
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Thomas Treadwell" <ttreadwe at mail.med.upenn.edu>
To: <list at grouptalkweb.org>
Sent: Saturday, April 14, 2007 3:43 PM
Subject: Losing the war of ideas....Sociogram


> The list has been looking for this sociogram that appeared in The New
> Republic, April 2,2007 - P. 17/  I saved it and am passing it on to grouptalk
> members.  The sociogram is interesting - yet it will take some figuring out.
>
> tom
>
> -- 
> Thomas Treadwell, Ed.D.
> Center for Cognitive Therapy                        Ph  - 215-746-0448
> University of Pennsylvania                          FAX - 215-898-1865
> 3535 Market Street, 2nd Fl.
> Philadelphia, Pa. 19104
>                         ttreadwe at mail.med.upenn.edu
>
>        Collaborative On-Line Research and Learning Over The Internet
>                        http://coral.wcupa.edu
>
>


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