Talk:F. Matthias Alexander

Page contents not supported in other languages.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Referencing[edit]

I've expanded Alexander's early life, using Michael J. Gelb's book, Body Learning. I'm aware there are better sources out there, including primary ones, so I'll probably be revising my citations as I move through them. --CA387 03:23, 3 June 2007 (UTC)[reply]

Cite of Dewey[edit]

Here is the text from the article regarding Dewey: "The technique was important in the career of educational philosopher John Dewey.[1] [2]  The two men met around 1918 in New York City when Dewey had a series of lessons. Dewey felt that Alexander taught him how to stop and think before acting. He said that his study of the Alexander Technique enabled him to hold a philosophical position calmly once he had taken it or to change it if new evidence appeared."

Besides the uncited references to how Dewey "felt", the Dewey vs. Alexander website citation given actually argues the opposite of the paragraph on its main page: "The purpose of this website is to show that Dewey's philosophy has nothing to do with the Alexander Technique, indeed is opposed to it." Until the arguments of this paragraph are cited and non-contradictory, I'm removing it from the article.

- TheSlowLife (talk) 23:42, 25 February 2009 (UTC)[reply]

References

  1. ^ Alexander, F. Matthias (1932). The Use of Self (1985 Edition ed.). London: Orion Books. pp. 7–12. ISBN 978-0-7528-4391-9. {{cite book}}: |edition= has extra text (help)
  2. ^ Dewey vs. Alexander

Libel Case[edit]

I am preparing a revision to the section on the Libel Case, using the Michael Bloch biography and South African newspaper sources. There are several inaccuracies that I can already see, but rather that fixing here and there, and bearing in mind the importance of the case, I shall take time and revise the whole at once, within the next week or so. P0mbal (talk) 23:47, 6 March 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Views on race[edit]

I am not happy that a large section has been introduced with this heading, a compendium of choice quotes from Alexander's books. To those who have studied Alexander's books, and I mean studied, as compared with read once through or gleaned for choice comments, I suggest that it is not NPOV. Please can other editors consider. P0mbal (talk) 23:09, 31 May 2009 (UTC) The editor who introduced this section has deleted it. P0mbal (talk) 20:03, 25 July 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Students: Agnes Birrell and Anthony Ludovici ?[edit]

Birrell and Ludovici have been listed with the first-generation Alexander teachers. While what is said about them is concise and true - it was Agnes who persuaded the sceptical Ludovici to have a series of lessons with Alexander and even paid for them herself (see "The Life of Frederick Matthias Alexander" by Michael Bloch, pages 136-7), Ludovici was certainly not a teacher and I believe neither was Agnes. Ludovici is listed in a different section above as a notable student, but not Agnes, though Agnes may be notable. I would like to suggest that both Agnes and Ludo be removed from the list of first-generation Alexander teachers, as they appear to be there due to a misunderstanding about who qualifies to be in the list. P0mbal (talk) 18:40, 30 July 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Referencing[edit]

This article badly needs to be rewritten. There are plenty of unnecessary details, like a long list of his students and a lengthy retelling of a libel case. What about his influence, his legacy? Does Alexander have any influence of importance today? What was his impact on mainstream education? What is the critical view of his work? Right now, this article is certainly not NPOV and though it looks well-done on the surface, it has no real substance. 108.52.66.225 (talk) 18:03, 15 April 2015 (UTC)[reply]

Yep. It's too much a coatrack to promote Alexander Technique. --Ronz (talk) 18:25, 15 April 2015 (UTC)[reply]