Charles Nelson asked the following
Questions:
Given that the subject is transitional, it still begins as an individual, so
at the time of the first individual changing his/her object, isn't there
then an individual activity?
Answer 1.
No because all activity is social which is what distinguishes it from the
actions of the individual antelope or zebra or other such animal that, being
a member of a herd/community (origin of Gattungwesen??), does not act
through the mediation of tools. All tool use is learned hence all activity,
involving tools, is essentially social.
----------------------------------
And if that individual is never joined by anyone but continues with
his/her object, why wouldn't that be considered an individual activity?
Answer 2: There is absolutely no human individual who is "never joined by
anyone". Even the hermit, meditating alone is a cave, is essentially
performing a social action and part of a human social activity.
----------------------------------------------
How does cooperation negate individual activity? That is, if different
individuals in a particular "activity" have their own motives, aren't there
then individual activities being carried out co-operatively?
Answer 3: Since there is no individual activity cooperation doesn't
negate it. Since activity is the property of an inherently social "activity
system", any view that attempts to conflate activity and individual in this
way is bound to run into the kinds of antinomies you have raised.
Paul H. Dillon
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Tue May 01 2001 - 01:01:46 PDT