[xmca] Numbers - Natural or Real?

[Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net>]

I don't really have an opinion on this matter, but I would be interested 
in listening in on those who may have an informed opinion.
I see two different approaches to the teaching of mathematics.

   One takes the /Natural/ Numbers as the basic concept of the subject
   The Other takes the /Rational/ Numbers as the basic concept of the
   subject

   One takes /counting/ as the basic Action
   The Other takes /comparison/ of two lengths as the basic Action.

   One situates the basic Action within a /Discourse/
   The Other situates the basic Action within /Activity/

   One is represented by /Anna Sfard /(see
   https://www.msu.edu/~sfard/Thinking%20as%20Communicating%20-%20First%20pages.doc)
   One is represented by /V V Davydov/ (eg
   http://www.maa.org/devlin/devlin_01_09.html)

Now, I am not really interested in maths teaching, but I am interested 
in the relation between Discourse Analysis and Activity Theory. It seems 
to me that the two concepts, though different, are not at all 
incompatible. Perhaps practical experience with these two approaches 
would shed light on the relation between Discourse and Activity and how 
it could be best reflected in theory?

Any thoughts my friends?
Andy

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Andy Blunden*
Joint Editor MCA: 
http://www.informaworld.com/smpp/title~db=all~content=g932564744
Home Page: http://home.mira.net/~andy/
Book: http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=227&pid=34857
MIA: http://www.marxists.org

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