Re: [xmca] Interpreting Leontiev: functionalism and Anglo Finnish Insufficiences

[Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net>]

Christine, one of the things I take from Ulrich Beck (theorist of 
reflexive modernity) is that nowadays sociologists must take account of 
the fact that their "object" is also educated in social theory. Well, 
ever since Marx that was the case to a degree, wasn't it? Anyway, 
although I was born with a philosophical bent, I only came to an actual 
study of philosophy after a life spent as a communist trade union 
delegate. The need to organise iuntelligently, to strike where it will 
hurt and to fight for reforms which really change the political 
landscape forever, and how to avoid making lost causes worse - these are 
the problems which drove me to study Hegel and Vygotsky. It is the same 
considerations that mean that I don't have much time for "system theory" 
- not any particular variety of it, just the whole idea. A single person 
can join or create a project and if they are lucky, can create a new 
concept and this is what changes the world. Systems one can only 
observe. Not much use to me.

Anyway, thanks for the journey, Christine. That post I could well 
understand, even if it went to places I am unfamiliar with.

Andy

christine schweighart wrote:
> Yes Andy ,
> It seemed clear at the time but my last post was very badly written.  
> My gist was Morten uses a concept where prototyping figures in 
> interventions with often marginalised people ( I recall - because he 
> came to the UK with Ines Langemeir and PhD students  attended the 
> workshops. At least two people conveyed to me the beneficial influence 
> of this  - and one was trying to 'pass the baton on' via me).  Yet my 
> point was that the 'marginalised' , being 'touched' by the experience 
> might be the ones to  reach to, not only the PhD students - and these 
> persons are actually necessary to relate with to encounter the growing 
> point of development of 'theory'. i.e my writing was trying to convey 
> the complexity of achieving this in intervention 'projects'. Where an 
> important aspect is that different sciences do not cannibalise each 
> other upon their encounter, yet orient not to their 'discipline' but 
> to the 'object' of projects.
>
> My references to Talcot Parson and his student Luhmann: when 'systems' 
> developed to take an 'interpretive' turn it came out of projects and 
> action-research practice- not an intellectual exercise of 'chosing' 
> Husserl - this was to convey to others. The ACTUALITY became important 
> and oriented to in relation to reality ( and taking up a social 
> 'function' oriented  purposefully ( around notion of 'motive' in that 
> AR context terms). At this moment VALUE entered the methodological 
> toolset, by means of 'weltanschauung' ( ambiguously figuring - so 
> there grew 3 forms of Weltanscahuung  being distinguished. etc).  At 
> present the 'tool' to attend to Actuality has become 'rich picture' 
> i.e as open as possible - 'expression' not necessarily in 'word' form- 
> left to the creative orientation of those 'present - and this is very 
> important ( I emphasise) because to be able to give oneself 'over' 
> into collective needs to be oriented to freely, in the most  '' human 
> aware  '' not obligation for other/coersive way etc. Sounds corny but 
> this is then social context enabled  pleasure - not 'duty' .  [ OK 
> enough romaticism! but  I find this value more in Andalucia 
> 'everywhere' than I find in the UK - for example.
> Actuality has been explored by two PhD studies in particular Costas 
> Tsouvalis who  studies Foucoult and 'introduced 'actuality' to attend 
> to the movement from 'expression' to 'theoretical systems thinking'. I 
> orient to Davydov's empirical thinking and 'theoretical thinking'  and 
> their relation here.  The second was a Japanese PhD at the LSE - 
> Kenichi Uchiyama ( at soem point president of the A-R society in Japan 
> I believe...) Who introduced 'auto-affection' and 'inverted' the 
> modelling relations. In his insight from Japnese culture.So most 
> important to be 'inclusive' of those that are not the 'university 
> researchers' is to endeavour to put the tools in the 'hands' of 'those 
> in the wild' in Morten's terms - The value or principle here , is that 
> they actually 'know' much more already.
>
> In Autopoiesis Maturana could only rest orientation to others on 
> 'love' , the late fransico Varela - explored 'energy' , interesting. - 
> we do not have the science yet to 'explain ' that.
>
> In my references to 'peasants' this same principle applies and after I 
> found this  website: NB this person is only about 50 kilometers away 
> from where I live - yet I came to his work via this technology and the 
> collaborative enquiry in this thread - amazing!! 
> http://www.thinkbuddha.org/article/389/blogging-philosophy-part-ii-hanging-out-with-the-peasants
>
>  I can't remember what I was orienting to with 'wise men' - BUT they 
> were from the East - they were following stars ( as they were 
> astronomers and scientists) , but in Spanish culture Christmas is 
> centred on the Reyes Magos ( magicians  who bring incredible gifts). 
> In the Catholic conquest of the Al-Andalus the religious upheaval 
> often only inscribed very thinly over the Moorish culture ( e.g fixed 
> a few word on a sacred place; or posted a cross on only the very top 
> of the mosque), and so in the Christmas fable the 'Reyes Magos ' 
> remain in all depth.
>
> Excuse my fable: they are still travelling arriving 6th January  
> http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reyes_Magos - it's a homage to a 
> 'conquered' - but really more strongly 'revered' culture, somehow both 
> together  and living in-between.
>
> Also after mentioning peasants - and how they are NOT illiterate - ie 
> have great wisdom - I found this 
> http://www.thinkbuddha.org/article/389/blogging-philosophy-part-ii-hanging-out-with-the-peasants
>
> But from this perspective I would like to explore Vasilyuk and his 
> 'function' of Value as concept.
>
> Also I wrote a paper to the UK systems society over the summer and 
> they are interested , so I'd like to know what I'm 'inventing' . 
> Someone from the Moscow Methodology Circle came to talk and we could 
> have a conversation  ( I was interested because of Davydov's 'learning 
> games in organisations). They use 'lots' of games ( i.e as in metaphor 
> many  times exploring together helps context of actuality to 
> surface.). Though there is play activity and  also 'learning activity' 
> - luckily they have abandoned through experience- 'thinking activity' 
> - this was very funny to hear in the talk.
>
> Still, that's hopefully a bit more coherent Andy and others - I don't 
> know how old the wise MEN are reckoned to be Mike and  Michael:)) but 
> it's nice that they went on their journey.
> Christine

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Andy Blunden*
Joint Editor MCA: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/hmca20/18/1
Home Page: http://home.mira.net/~andy/
Book: http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=227&pid=34857

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