Action (joint, mediated, human)

Francoise Herrmann (fherrmann who-is-at igc.apc.org)
Mon, 8 Apr 1996 10:37:15 -0700 (PDT)

Hi everyone, I wanted to take a crack at Robin's questions about action
(and to thank you for the great quote about passion and rationality
"transformed into science and art, on the way).
To me all action is mediated (whether I am alone in my kitchen also
cooking, attending a lecture, or buying groceries). It is mediated by
language, and most of the time in English (for me, but also sometimes
in French or Spanish). Not all action however, for me is joint. I think
because I assume that joint is with people. So that when I am reading
a book for example, I don't see myself engaging in joint action. It is
close because, the writer talks to me and I can see and hear what is
written but nonetheless, to me it is not joint action. I cannot change
what is written, unless perhaps I write a response or a letter to the
author. But not in the same way that I may be able to in joint action.
This brings up what Ana so wonderfully explained about the triangular
relationship between teacher, student and subject matter and the need
I think to separate human action from non-human action. I think
that we do enter into relationship with objects, the potter like the
sculpture brings out the shape from the stone and the clay, we
give shape and meaning to words that we read, and our books take on a life
of their own (we say) but in reality, I really believe that we need to
separate human action from non-human action. A long time ago, here on
the x-lists there was a discussion about paper clips, and decosntructed
to its extreme, the paper clips were taking over. That to me is problematic
in the end. And perhaps helps to untangle joint from mediated. Not that
I don't believe or understand how we can focus on material artifiacts
and tools other than language to see their impact on the development of
human activity over the ages, but still to me action of humans is
really differnt from any other kind of action, mechanical, technological,
technical, envisioned, created etc... To draw a line (we, you and I
perhaps say).

With much respect to the lonely, solitary artist and scientist.

Francoise
Francoise Herrmann
fherrmann who-is-at igc.org