RE: [xmca] Smolucha - pronunciation/genealogy (Systems of functions &Aristotelian concepts)

["Vera John-Steiner" <vygotsky@unm.edu>]

Hi Mike et al,

I think the notion of seeking perfect replication is one that bears scrutiny
It may work for producing identical buttons or screws but not for music, or
children's language acquisition where toddlers produce forms that are more
efficient than the full adult form but they are different from what they
hear. Variations are super abundant and even in mathematics there are
multiple proofs for the same problem, some more elegant than others.
Adaptation to a changing environment requites exploration, problem-solving,
and intentional search. The blind variation model that some creativity
researchers espouse goes counter observed human behavior. Imitation is part
of learning but so is exploration. And creativity is rooted in these human
behaviors but cannot be reduced to them as it also requires, in its
sustained projects, shared intent.

-----Original Message-----
From: xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu [mailto:xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu] On
Behalf Of mike cole
Sent: Friday, June 22, 2012 8:59 AM
To: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
Subject: Re: [xmca] Smolucha - pronunciation/genealogy (Systems of functions
&Aristotelian concepts)

That article Peter sent by David Cohen pushes on history in helpful ways,
Collete-- thanks Peter.

But my guess is that Cohen himself does not track things back far enough,
nor do I think that that
restricting the question to the history of the US or Europe is sufficient.
Its a puzzle.

I think this also relates back to interest in creativity in recent
discussions. How DOES the new arise from
a system that seeks perfect replication? Only by deviation/error which
turns out to have a future, chosen
by a blind watchmaker? Or does cultural-history introduce a new ingredient
that promotes variation and
culturally-inflected selection?

mike


On Fri, Jun 22, 2012 at 7:46 AM, Colette Murphy <c.a.murphy@qub.ac.uk>wrote:

> Wow Peter - the article uses the same observation! I look forward to
> reading it too - thanks!
> Colette
>
> Dr Colette Murphy
> Senior Lecturer
> School of Education
> 69 University St
> Queen's University
> Belfast BT7 1HL
>
> tel: 02890975953
>
> "Why is it, in spite of the fact that teaching by pouring in, learning by
> passive absorption, are universally condemned, that they are still so
> entrenched in practice?"
>
>          John Dewey Democracy in Education 1916, Page 46
> ________________________________________
> From: xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu [xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu] On Behalf
> Of Peter Smagorinsky [smago@uga.edu]
> Sent: 22 June 2012 13:59
> To: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
> Subject: RE: [xmca] Smolucha - pronunciation/genealogy (Systems of
> functions    &       Aristotelian concepts)
>
> Mike et al., the attached article has helped me with Dewey's question.
> It's not a cultural-historical theory in the Vygotskian sense, but
situates
> teaching practice culturally and historically nonetheless. p
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu [mailto:xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu] On
> Behalf Of mike Cole
> Sent: Friday, June 22, 2012 8:52 AM
> To: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
> Cc: eXtended Mind, Culture, Activity
> Subject: Re: [xmca] Smolucha - pronunciation/genealogy (Systems of
> functions & Aristotelian concepts)
>
> What is the answer to Dewey's question, Colette? That very question has
> been on my mind for Zoe time.
> Mike
>
> On Jun 22, 2012, at 5:21 AM, Colette Murphy <c.a.murphy@qub.ac.uk> wrote:
>
> > Thanks to Martin, Anton and everyone else involved in this discussion -
> it helps enormously with issues realting to 'higher psychological
> functions'!
> > Colette
> >
> >
> > Dr Colette Murphy
> > Senior Lecturer
> > School of Education
> > 69 University St
> > Queen's University
> > Belfast BT7 1HL
> >
> > tel: 02890975953
> >
> > "Why is it, in spite of the fact that teaching by pouring in, learning
> by passive absorption, are universally condemned, that they are still so
> entrenched in practice?"
> >
> > John Dewey Democracy in Education 1916, Page 46
> > ________________________________________
> > From: xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu [xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu] On
> > Behalf Of Martin Packer [packer@duq.edu]
> > Sent: 22 June 2012 13:18
> > To: Anton Yasnitsky; eXtended Mind, Culture,  Activity
> > Subject: Re: [xmca] Smolucha - pronunciation/genealogy (Systems of
> > functions &  Aristotelian concepts)
> >
> > Here is the text that Anton and Michael have been referring to.
> >
> > Martin
> >
> >
> > On Jun 21, 2012, at 10:09 PM, Anton Yasnitsky wrote:
> >
> >> Andy,
> >>
> >>
> >> I regard mediation etc.pretty vague and, therefore, virtually
> >> meaningless. Also I regard the whole research program of Vygotsky
> Circle of their instrumental period of 1920s mechanistic indeed, and this
> conclusion I borrow primarily from Vygotsky's own texts in which he
> severely criticized their own ideas of that period.
> >>
> >>
> >> Finally, yes, I do find the sharp separation of all psychological
> >> functions (whatever this means) into either the higher or the lower
> >> binary, rigid, valuative, and pretty much Aristotelian,
> >>
> >> in Lewin's terminology. Under Lewin's strong influence Vygotsky
> >> realized the flaw in his conceptual system and made a serious effort
> >> at making the transition from
> >>
> >> Aristotelian to Galileian in his own thinking, but, quite
> unfortunately, by the time this transition in many respects was made, he
> did not have too much time to  live:
> >>
> >> a couple of years, not more. Which is a pity, indeed.
> >>
> >>
> >> AY
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> ________________________________
> >> From: Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net>
> >> To: Anton Yasnitsky <the_yasya@yahoo.com>; "eXtended Mind, Culture,
> >> Activity" <xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>
> >> Sent: Thursday, June 21, 2012 10:58:37 PM
> >> Subject: Re: [xmca] Smolucha - pronunciation/genealogy (Systems of
> >> functions)
> >>
> >> So Anton, you regard mediation of psychlogical functions by cultural
> artefacts as "mechanistic" and "binary"?
> >> Andy
> >>
> >> Anton Yasnitsky wrote:
> >>> Martin,
> >>>
> >>> Right, this is exactly my point: much criticized for fairly
> mechanistic distinction between the lower and the higher in his earlier
> work of 1920s, Vygotsky rejected this binary opposition in his later
> writings of the 1930, although he kept using  phrases "higher functions"
> or, rather, "higher processes" and the like.
> >> __________________________________________
> >> _____
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