N
NTDeveloper
Guest
I have noticed that many participants in this forum have made statements to the
effect that communicating certain aspects of the martial arts via videotape is
impossible. With all respect, I humbly disagree.
Now let me state clearly, I'm not arguing that one hour of instruction via videotape
is equivalent in quality to one hour of face-to-face instruction. You cannot ask a
videotape questions nor can a videotape observe your execution and critique it.
What I am arguing, howerver, is that any scientific base of knowledge
(and this includes Kenpo) can be codified and presented in an assimilable fashion.
Suppose the converse: That there exist elements of the Kenpo system (or any other MA system)
that cannot be expressed in written and/or visual form. Would this not mean then
that these aspects are metaphysical (i.e. not addressable within a scientific
framework) in nature? But, this would contradict the fact that kenpo *is* a
scientific system.
Now, consider the example of learning to be a chiropractor. Is it possible for
someone to learn how to be a chiropractor by watching videotaped instruction
in the discipline? Absolutely not. Is it possible, however, to codify the whole
of Chiropractic knowledge in a multimedia format? Of course it is. If it were not,
it would not be a science - and we all agree that it is a science.
Also, take massage therapy as another example. A person cannot learn how to be a
competent massage therapist by just watching tapes. However, the knowlege that a
massage therapist needs can be presented in such a fashion. Without tactile experience,
however, someone will never become a good massage therapist. Suppose, however, a group
of people who knew nothing about massage therapy studied these hypothetical
tapes, practiced on and received feedback from one another. After a reasonable
period of time, would these people be considered "good" massage therapists? Possibly..
it not an unrealistic outcome of such an experiment. Would these folks have
progressed more quickly and acquired more skill had they been under the supervision
of a master massage therapist who could answer questions and iterract with them?
Again, the answer is probably "yes."
Now, last thought experiment: Suppose you had a group of people and a two-way
audio-video hookup between the group and a competent Kenpo instructor. Would it
be possible for the group to learn Kenpo in this fashion? It seems feasible to me. Would
it be better if the instructor were actually present in the room? Sure..but I would
argue that there is no scientific knowledge that could not be transferred in that
fashion. What sort of scientific knowledge could not be transferred?
effect that communicating certain aspects of the martial arts via videotape is
impossible. With all respect, I humbly disagree.
Now let me state clearly, I'm not arguing that one hour of instruction via videotape
is equivalent in quality to one hour of face-to-face instruction. You cannot ask a
videotape questions nor can a videotape observe your execution and critique it.
What I am arguing, howerver, is that any scientific base of knowledge
(and this includes Kenpo) can be codified and presented in an assimilable fashion.
Suppose the converse: That there exist elements of the Kenpo system (or any other MA system)
that cannot be expressed in written and/or visual form. Would this not mean then
that these aspects are metaphysical (i.e. not addressable within a scientific
framework) in nature? But, this would contradict the fact that kenpo *is* a
scientific system.
Now, consider the example of learning to be a chiropractor. Is it possible for
someone to learn how to be a chiropractor by watching videotaped instruction
in the discipline? Absolutely not. Is it possible, however, to codify the whole
of Chiropractic knowledge in a multimedia format? Of course it is. If it were not,
it would not be a science - and we all agree that it is a science.
Also, take massage therapy as another example. A person cannot learn how to be a
competent massage therapist by just watching tapes. However, the knowlege that a
massage therapist needs can be presented in such a fashion. Without tactile experience,
however, someone will never become a good massage therapist. Suppose, however, a group
of people who knew nothing about massage therapy studied these hypothetical
tapes, practiced on and received feedback from one another. After a reasonable
period of time, would these people be considered "good" massage therapists? Possibly..
it not an unrealistic outcome of such an experiment. Would these folks have
progressed more quickly and acquired more skill had they been under the supervision
of a master massage therapist who could answer questions and iterract with them?
Again, the answer is probably "yes."
Now, last thought experiment: Suppose you had a group of people and a two-way
audio-video hookup between the group and a competent Kenpo instructor. Would it
be possible for the group to learn Kenpo in this fashion? It seems feasible to me. Would
it be better if the instructor were actually present in the room? Sure..but I would
argue that there is no scientific knowledge that could not be transferred in that
fashion. What sort of scientific knowledge could not be transferred?