pandora:~/web/maya/wks7_8> cal October 2008 Su Mo Tu We Th Fr Sa 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
Scene two: Dr. Peter Venkman (played by Bill Murray) at the paranormal studies laboratory with Scott and Jennifer. What is being studied? Knowing ability. At the Weaver Hall Dept. of Psychology of Columbia University. The studying of the ability to know. Polya, in a book on problem solving that captivates and thrills many computer scientists, including Dijkstra, says: "Teaching to think means that the mathematics teacher should not merely impart information (the 10% of the iceberg), but should also try to develop the ability of the students to use the information imparted: he or she should also stress the often neglected less obvious hidden part of the iceberg:" know-how, useful attitudes, desirable habits of mind are 90% of problem solving, programming, mathematics and proving things. Dr. Venkman and Scott in dialog. A small sample of it is shown below. The dialog with Jennifer is not shown. Jennifer and Scott are both trying to guess the hidden face of a card that Dr. Peter Venkman is holding up. Venkman: Nervous? Scott: Yes. Venkman: Okay, what's this one? Scott: A couple of wavy lines. Venkman: Sorry. This isn't your lucky day. Scott: I don't like this. Venkman: You volunteered didn't you. Scott: Yea, but I didn't know you were going to be giving me electric shocks. Venkman: We're paying you aren't we? Scott: What are you trying to prove here anyway? Venkman: I'm studying the effect of negative reinforcement on ESP ability. Scott: Effect? Effect! I'll tell you what the effect is. This is pissing me off. Venkman: Then maybe my theory is correct. Scott: You can keep the 5 bucks. I've had it! Venkman: I will Mister! This of course suggests to us that the Ghostbuster's movie will be about knowing issues, about the ability to understand a problem. It also shows it will be about useful versus harmful attitudes, desirable versus undesirable habits of mind.