The way to find "object" in the index of Mike's Cultural Psychology is to
look up "mediation" -- the "object" is treated as an integral part of the
mediational triangle subject-mediator(tool)-object.
I don't know if Bill will find a definition precise enough for a physicists
preference there, that is, I'm getting VERY uncertain about how Bill
defines "definition".
On the other hand, if what motivates Bill's quest for definitions is the
educationalist's quandary of being obliged to produce assessment of
individuals, then his frustration with the way AT analysis distributes
responsibility for achievemant across the activity system is understandable.
What a dilemma!
What a contradiction!!
But also somewhat enlightening, concerning the political economy of definiti=
on.
Eva
eva.ekeblad who-is-at ped.gu.se
PS There's a paper by Katie Vann in response to "Contexts of Learning"
takes up the political economy of assessment available at the MCA website
http://communication.ucsd.edu/MCA/reviews/contexts.html