Re: What is praxis?

Diane HODGES (dchodges who-is-at interchange.ubc.ca)
Mon, 3 May 1999 22:15:28 -0800

At 7:01 5/4/99, nate wrote:
>Two sites that I find useful in reference to "praxis" is the CHAT site and
>Newman and Holzman's chapter from Vygotsky: Revolutionary Scientist which
>both in different ways attempt to question the historic division of theory
>and practice. Praxis also seems be the basis for any "theory of action" in
>which theory has to have an influence on practice itself.

wow nate - just responded to this question with a completely
different source for "praxis" -

by my reckonings it was coined about 30 yrs ago - and by yr
citings above i am reckoning it has found its way to AT;

or, is it an "any-word" word now, like "discourse" or "discursive" or
"pedagogy" - all which began with highly specified political intentions
and which are quickly spread out across the disciplines like so much
mayonnaise on sliced tomato?

you wrote

>"Praxis also seems be the basis for any "theory of action" in
>which theory has to have an influence on practice itself."

my first thought on this was, under what conditions is any
action NOT theorized, or any practice not influenced by theory?

I don't understand AT enough to know, so i will ask instead:

Activity Theory certainly seems intent on apolitical
references: is this a deliberate generalizing strategy, i.e., an effort
to be universalizable, a la Habermas? (diff. schools,yes: but
same interest in a
universal theory for human communication?)

diane

""""""""""""""""""""""" """""""""""""""""""""""""""""
When she walks,
the revolution's coming.
In her hips, there's revolution.
When she talks, I hear revolution.
In her kiss, I taste the revolution.
(poem by Kathleen Hanna: Riot Grrl)
******************************************
diane celia hodges
university of british columbia
centre for the study of curriculum and knowledge
vancouver, british columbia, canada