Investigating Learning Theory Further: Beyond P,R,+, and -

lostcoyote

are you able to define what a soul is now? up on page 1, you said you could not define it.... but it's being used so i think a definition may be useful if we're going to use it within the context inferences made. when we say something like "that person really puts his soul into his music" what does that mean really? that's sorta the way i define it... not esoteric at all... but for me, it's how a being expresses his true self and in this sense of defining it this way, i'd say that dogs do have it.... maybe you just call it personality - but it's intrinsically linked to the dogs spirit (quality and quantity of mental energy

That makes sense to me, even if I don't quantify or qualify it in scientific terms, just yet.

And learning theory and it's use of OC are descriptions of some of the things we do with our dogs. As I use it to better understand the motivations of my dog, I become more in tune with what he is as an organism and our "relationship" is better for it. I don't see OC as a religion but a description of an effect. Pages and pages of semantics cannot erase or diminish the value of the effects perceived and described. Nor do I think that the limited language inherent in the science diminishes our spiritual enrichment (for lack of a better word) with our dogs. If you collar pop or use a walking stick or shepherd's hook, you are using OC. If you lead with treats or stop something by withholding reward, you are using OC. If you are engaging in a spiritual relationship with your dog, you are using OC, it is rewarding to you and your dog, even if the reward was not a piece of drippy chicken.

IMHO, behavioral systems can still be describe somewhat by the language of OC. The predilection to gather what smells like food, mark ones' territory, mate with whatever female is in heat, is all geared toward survival, a reward. Creatures that fail to do that, perish. A punishment, for the creature and the breed or species that it is. Dogs tend to seek a balance, rather than socio-political dominance because social cohesion leads to survival, a reward. It's part of what makes them trainable, imo.

And nothing I have said, including the  inferent supposition of a dog having a soul limits the spiritual enjoyment we have. Maybe we can't define soul or spiritual enjoyment but we can use visible landmarks along the way when describing to others.