Introduction

While the ideal platform would (magically) come with solutions pre-built, a more realistic approach recognizes that problem solving always takes time and energy.  The problem solving approach and associated ”learning orientation” will also depend on the task and resources at hand. [...] Arguably, if we “knew”, 100%, how to do peeragogy, then we would not stand to learn very much by writing this handbook.  Difficulties and tensions would be resolved “in advance” (see earlier comments about “magical” technologies for peer production).

Magical Thinking is the thief of process

Magical thinking of the kind described above robs a context of its “process” (Nishida might say, its “motion”).  It seems possible that the more structure we have “in advance”, and the more we can fall back on “traditional” modes of doing things, the less we stand to learn.  I quote at length:

“Optimization of decision-making processes confers an important advantage in response to a constantly changing environment. The ability to select the appropriate actions on the basis of their consequences and on our needs at the time of the decision allows us to respond in an efficient way to changing situations. However, the continuous control and attention that this process demands can result in an unnecessary expenditure of resources and can be inefficient in many situations. For instance, when behavior is repeated regularly for extensive periods without major changes in outcome value or contingency, or under uncertain situations where we cannot manipulate the probability of obtaining an outcome, general rules and habits can be advantageous. Thus, the more rapid shift to habits after chronic stress could be a coping mechanism to improve performance of well-trained behaviors, while increasing the bioavailability to acquire and process new information, which seems essential for adaptation to complex environments. However, when objectives need to be re-updated in order to make the most appropriate choice, the inability of stressed subjects to shift from habitual strategies to goal-directed behavior might be highly detrimental. Such impairment might be of relevance to understand the high comorbidity between stress-related disorders and addictive behavior or compulsivity, but certainly has a broader impact spanning activities from everyday life decisions to economics.” — Science Magazine

This also has interesting implications when it comes to “detecting learning” (see “researching peeragogy“).  How do emotions, stress, learning, habit, and adaptation relate?