synthetic/eclectic

Mike Cole (mcole who-is-at weber.ucsd.edu)
Sun, 4 Apr 1999 11:40:05 -0700 (PDT)

Hi Chuck-- You wrote in part

The seeming contradictions or diofferences
are often because of different issues foregrounded or different problems
addressed. But then that suggests that the conceptual vocabulary and
research studies of one may provide more useful tools for certasin kinds
of applications and problems, and the conceptual vocabulary of another may
be a better fit for others. So it is useful to sort out, who does what.
Further, if we want to use the conceptual vocabularies of both within the
same project, study, or task, it becomes useful to see what work each is
doing and how they can be intelligibly coordinated. of both within the
same project, study, or task, it becomes useful to see what work each is
doing and how they can be intelligibly coordinated.

I agree with this. In lab a couple of weeks ago, Yrjo focused on places where
there are really deep differences and they shouldn't be glossed over (in our
discussion with Urs Fuhrer about his book). I am not in favor of papering
over differences to be nice, but rather, of the kind of sorting out you
speak of. The problems of people using their vocabulatires for very different
kinds of objects/obejctives makes me constantly suspicious of claims for
deep differences-- they may or may not be there.

mike