"The tool as the mediating cultural artifact is amplified in the model.
Engestrom (1990) underlines the connection between culture and artifact by
drawing attention to the writing of Wartofsky (1979, p. 205) who asserts
that "...the artifact is to cultural evolution what the gene is to
biological evolution." He also argues that Wartofsky's three levels of
artifacts are coupled with the strata of activity, action, and operation.
Primary artifacts include concrete instruments such as
knives,microcomputers, hammers, and the like. Secondary artifacts are
representations of primary artifacts, such as pictures, representations, and
modes of action, enabling humans transmit skill and information and to
reflect on upon their activities. Tertiary artifacts are visions, world
views, and methodologies used to construct autonomous worlds when the rules
and conventions of the everyday world no longer seem practical. When any
level of artifact is imported into an activity system, it creates inner
contradictions between the old and new elements of the system, fueling the
expansive cycle of transformation."
I was not sure if you were asking for this quote, but here it is.
Nate
-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Cole [mailto:mcole@weber.ucsd.edu]
Sent: Tuesday, January 11, 2000 11:17 AM
To: xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
Subject: activity/boundary object
Hi Nate,
Great selection of a quote from Engestrom. This very topic has come
on the table in our videoconferencing with Helsinki and Oslo. The
resulting discussion was very stimulating in that medium and could
well be productive in this one. And just for fun, could we toss in
tertiary artifacts?
mike
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