the American way: We can solve anything

[Heidi and Dan Chay]

Hi Julie,

You wrote,

>>
You mention that the American way is that you can solve anything.  I guess
it is.  As an American, I don't even know if that is really true.  I do know
that we Americans have had many experiences of solving problems that were
previously thought to be unsolvable.  So I figure why not go for it and do
our best to solve this one too.
<<

There is a Harvard professor (whose name I've misplaced) who distinguishes
three types of problems:

Type I problems are easily diagnosed and easily "solved," often by putting
an "expert" to work.  A broken femur might fall into this category.

Type II problems are easily diagnosed, but not easily "solved" by an
"expert" because "solving" it requires distributed constructive creativity
of both experts and non-experts.  The social problem of lung cancer in its
connection with smoking tobacco, woud fall into this category.

Type III problems are neither easily diagnosed to peoples' satisfaction, nor
"solvable" by "experts."  A Type III will not be "solved" until the affected
persons agree on "the problem" in its complexity, and then agree on
potential "solutions" to work toward.  In this category probably would fit
issues such as abortion/women's rights and jobs/environmental degradation.

>From my perspective, President Bush seems to consider this experience of
terrorism from which he intends to save America, as a Type I problem.  Do
you agree?  Would a "war on terrorism" be a Type I solution for a Type III
problem?  I ask this with the quote in mind, "Our 'terrorists' are other
peoples' 'freedom-fighters."

Best wishes,

Dan Chay
"To learn is to create."  - At de Lange

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