Friday, August 27, 2004

ATTN: questions about attention

My departure point is: people need attention as a kind of food. For people attention is (a source of) energy. From that point of view a number of questions arise. And those questions cover rather a broad area of science. For what is attention really? Can attention be measured? What's the composition of attention like; what physical characteristics are measurable; what qualitative properties does attention have? Where does attention come from? Where does the attention go to? How do you "pay" attention? How is it possible for something inanimate like a golden bracelet to "draw" attention? What is actually happening here? Can you store attention, for example in a painting? It is possible to point your attention at something? Can you avoid attention and if so, how do you do that? For the next ten minutes, don't think of a polar bear. Is "may i have your attention please" also a form of attention? Is attention the same as communication? And if so, can you determine the polarity of sender and recipient? Someone is watching television and I ask this person something, is the word jammer adequate or do I in fact draw part of the attention that was meant for the television? How aware are you, if you aim the attention of others? I look attentively in air, in the middle of on a busy shop square; the child of the baker will be a baker too. What happens here? Attention meets (draws) attention? Is there something like an attention sense inside the human body? Can you feel eyes in your back? I look in the air, beside me stands a blind person person. What happens? Can you draw someone's attention if you're not there? Is the attention of the painter the same attention as the attention of the person who looks at the painting? Does attention precede perception? Is there a maximum to the quantity of attention people can take in, process and spend? Is attention the same as energy? Example: I'm getting warm because you look at me == to me warmth indicates energy conversion. How does spreading your attention work? is it similar to focussing - or not focussing - of a spotlight? Suppose that undiluted attention is possible, how much would one person need on a daily basis?

-- what can attention be mixed with? and has it always to do with thinking?
--- with interests? example: conditional love - parents who stipulate the way in which children may express their love
--- with relations? example: wu wei is in a way approximately the reverse of reaction (reaction is the basis of a relation according to Krishnamurti)
- is occupation therapy a substitute for attention? and why does it or does it not work? what are the discriminating dimensions
- someone pays attention to me (gives me attention) and then i act differently. What happens here? Why can't i be the 2 year old child and just accept instead of responding?
- how do you attract attention? AIDA - you must do something extreme - is there a threshold on attention? above standard noise level?
- is attention the same as social cohesion?
- can you accumulate attention like in a battery?
- is there a need for attention?
- is attention flowing? (wave/particle)
- what about attention and familiarisation?
- how much attention can one give ? is there a maximum in loading or processing capacity?

Ron

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