[Xmca-l] Re: Dynamics of Developmental Change

[Martin John Packer]

"Vygotsky says this is
because the infant has already understood that her or his main way of
acting on the world is not directly but with the hands of others. "

"they both suggest (to me) that the infant actually STARTS from the point of
view that affects exist, although they are not necessarily "minds" in the
sense of being individualized."


David,

I think you're absolutely right to say that these examples illustrate the central role of emotion in the early interactions (intra-actions) of the infant. But I don't think they show that the infant "understands," or "has a point of view," but rather that the infant lives in an emotional world - no, not even a world, because there are not yet stable objects, or stable others, or stable self - lives *in* his or her emotionality *along with* others. An object becomes interesting again when, although it is still out of reach for the infant, a significant other can reach it, because the infant does *not* yet realize that this other person is someone different from him. An object close to them *is* an object close to him or her, or simply an object 'at hand,' and hence interesting.

No?

Martin