[Xmca-l] Re: Having an experience

[Larry Purss]

Alfredo,
Here is another Wikipedia link to "ma" [as space]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ma_(negative_space)

An article by Sheila Ross "The Temporality of Tarrying in Gadamer"  in the
journal *Theory, Culture, & Society*, 2006, Volume 23 (1): Pages 104-123 is
where I encountered this idea.

I am personally linking Dewey, Gadamer, and the concept of "ma".  I will
point out that Gadamer's focus on tarrying is to  focus an experience of
the "subject matter" through living conversations.  My readings on this
topic are idiosyncratic but I personally sense/perceive a shared
sensibility and "disposition" in these notions of "agentic" receptivity and
undergoing phenomena.  [which is not passive]
I also believe this disposition to perceive the "pregnant pause" in ongoing
activity can be "cultivated/grown".

Thanks for inviting me to think out loud with you.
Larry



Your article is moving deeper into the multimodal with bodily gesture but I
believe my comments add to the complexity of the "aspects" you are
exploring as place-making/meaning.




On Wed, Jul 15, 2015 at 8:43 PM, Alfredo Jornet Gil <a.j.gil@iped.uio.no>
wrote:

> Larry,
>
> when you mentioned the "ma" case today, I immediately thought of Dewey's
> "an" experience, because it involves the unity of the different moments
> that you described in "ma". I never came along Gadamer, but, after reading
> your e-mail, I will definitely have a look. Is there a particular text you
> would recommend?
>
> Thanks,
> Alfredo
> ________________________________________
> From: xmca-l-bounces+a.g.jornet=iped.uio.no@mailman.ucsd.edu
> <xmca-l-bounces+a.g.jornet=iped.uio.no@mailman.ucsd.edu> on behalf of
> Larry Purss <lpscholar2@gmail.com>
> Sent: 16 July 2015 05:33
> To: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
> Subject: [Xmca-l] Re: Having an experience
>
> Mike,
>
> I wanted to show how I read Dewey's focusing on having "an" experience is
> focusing on the same theme as the Japanese concept of "ma"
> Here is a link to explain this concept:
>
> https://wawaza.com/pages/when-less-is-more-the-concept-of-japanese-ma.html
>
> Here is Dewey exploring similar themes:
> Experiencing like breathing is a rhythm of intakings and outgivings. Their
> succession is PUNCTUATED and made a rhythm by the existence of INTERVALS,
> periods in which one phase is ceasing and the other is inchoate and
> preparing"
>
> Here is another example from the Dewey article:
>
> "Because of continuous merging, there are no holes, mechanical junctions,
> and dead centers when we have an experience. There are PAUSES, PLACES OF
> REST but they punctuate and define the "quality of" movement.  They sum up
> what has been UNDERGONE and prevent its dissipation and idle evaporation.
>
> So for Dewey the aspect of "an" experience includes "undergoing" which
> develops "perception" [which Dewey contrasts with mere "recognition"
>
> Now I want to highlight that this undergoing is "receptive" which is NOT
> passive. I see this as the essence of "ma" To "be" receptive is an active
> process of undergoing and consolidation as "intaking" aspect of having "an"
> experience this is an act of "surrender"
> Here is Dewey exploring this theme"
>
> The aesthetic or undergoing phase of experience is receptive. It involves
> surrender. But adequate yielding of the self is possibly only through a
> controlled activity that may well be intense. In much of our intercourse
> with our surroundings we withdraw; sometimes from fear, if only of
> expending unduly our store of energy; sometimes from preoccupation with
> other matters, as in the case of recognition. Perception is an act of the
> going-out of energy in order to receive, not a withholding of energy. To
> steep ourselves in a subject-matter we have first to plunge into it. When
> we are only passive to a scene, it overwhelms us and, for lack of answering
> activity, we do not perceive that which bears us down. :We must summon
> energy and pitch it at a responsive key in order to *take *in."
>
> Dewey describes receptive surrender as summoning energy and pitching this
> energy at a responsive key IN ORDER TO "take in".
>
> If others are interested Gadamer shares the centrality of this phenomena of
> "taking in" receptively and surrender to "the subject matter" as
> undergoing.  In German the term is "verweiling" which is translated as
> "tarrying"
>
> I mention Japanese "ma" as this concept is deeply integrated into there
> cultural fabric as a valued "disposition" and attitude.
>
> Dewey is showing that to be manically "making" and "constructing" and
> "working" is actually a "dis-order" of will.
> Without the pause/interval there is no integral experience but only
> "dis-ordered will".
>
> In other words willing what cannot be willed. I purposely am using this
> older term "will" to contrast with the notion of "receptive undergoing"
> within "lived through experience"
>
> On Wed, Jul 15, 2015 at 4:57 PM, mike cole <mcole@ucsd.edu> wrote:
>
> > Andy suggested I read this a couple of weeks back and it seems quite
> > appropriate to the conversation around Alfredo and Rolf's
> > paper. I found it thought provoking from the get go. Lets hear it for the
> > old guys.
> > mike
> >
> > --
> >
> > Both environment and species change in the course of time, and thus
> > ecological niches are not stable and given forever (Polotova & Storch,
> > Ecological Niche, 2008)
> >
>
>