As to the relation Lewin-Vygotsky, she says that Lewin estimated Vygotksy
highly. On the views of Vygostky on Lewin she says only that he judged
Lewin's research critically and did a series of experimental studies with
the aim of detecting weak points in Lewin's conception. Might that perhaps
cover her own critical attitude? About her own relation to Lewin, she says,
that her Berlin years clearly had an influence on her later work but does
not specify it in any way. We obviously have to read that type of
meta-information very carefully and certainly relate it to and correct it
with the actual scientific work of those involved.
Mention is made of a volume of contributions to commemorate Vygotsky in
1936. Maybe it was not published then or later. (I have never seen
reference to it.) Or has it? Lewin is said to have sent in a contribution.
What might that be? From my own Lewin bibliography (in the 1963 German
translation of the Field Theory volume) and the further addition based on
the Collected work edition by Grauman I am unable to clearly identify this
contribution. One candidate is an item of these years in Lewin's Nachlass
entitled "Feldtheorie und Geometrie" scheduled to be published in volume 3
of the collected works (with uncertain delay). Since Zeigarnik says in the
interview Lewin was more interested in geometry (compared to Koehlers
interest in physics) she might have had that paper in mind. Boris -- or
anybody else -- do you know of this Vygotsky commemorative volume? Has it
been published? Are there traces anywhere of Lewin's contribution to such a
volume?
My special interest in the L-V-relation is on two levels: (a) psychological
theorizing intending explicitly some larger system than the individual
(ecological, cultural, historical etc.) and (b) theory of science. As to
the latter, I believe that Lewin was one of the most original philosophers
of science ever, comparable in insights and originality to geniuses like
Peirce and Wittgenstein and in essence more interesting than the most
hailed Bridgman, Popper or Kuhn etc. He was barely received as such and,
unfortunately, has neglected that side of his work in his American years
which had taken practically half of his efforts in the Berlin years. Lewin
is one of the very few philosophers of science who also were active
scientists, theoretical and empirical researchers. Now Vygotsky, on the
other hand, was certainly highly interested in the foundations of a better
psychological science of which we have traces spread all over his
accessible work yet lack a more systematic synthesis.
Alfred
Alfred Lang ---------------------------- Internet: lang who-is-at psy.unibe.ch
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