Carl,
That makes a lot of sense. Still, I wonder, Is one conceptual system
always primary? Can context/environment/time influence the
primariness of a conceptual system?
Charles Nelson
>IN response to Charles Nelson's question about how we tie diverse viewpoints
>together:
> I think that one has to decide on the essential concepts/elements of a
>viable cultural psychological approach. These need to be logically coherent
>among themselves. All the related facets of the approach should be logically
>coherent as well. I think this is the essence of scientific thinking.
>Einstein explained this in great detail. He firmly believed in identifying a
>small core of essential principles that underlie all phenomena. In
>developing a cultural psychology, IF we agree w. Marx & Leontiev that the
>social organization of activities is basic to psychological phenomena, and
>that the social relations of production are the most impt. activity within a
>social system, then all of our concepts about self, agency, personality,
>emotions, cognition, mental illness, etc. would have to construe these as
>originating in, bearing the characteristics of, and functioning to
>recapitulate the social organization of activities, and especially of
>economic activity. Any concepts about psychological change would also have
>to be related to concepts of social change.
> These, of course, are all daunting questions. But I believe that this is
>the general approach that cultural psychs. need to explore. It would
>comprise a logically coherent conceptual system. I don't think that progress
>will be made by trying to combine antithetical conceptual viewpoints such as
>marxism + individualism + Freudianism. That's why I believe it is impt. to
>distinguish conceptual systems, decide which is primary, and then extract
>elements of other systems that can be logically integrated with the basic
>one.
> Does this make sense?
> Carl
>--
>Carl Ratner, Ph.D.
>cr2@humboldt1.com
>http://www.humboldt1.com/~cr2
>
>P.O.B. 1294
>Trinidad, CA 95570
>USA
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