dialectics and vygotsky
Jones, Peter-Cultural Studies (P.E.Jones who-is-at shu.ac.uk)
Thu, 4 Feb 1999 16:44:00 -0000
4 feb
from peter jones, sheffield hallam university, UK
dear everybody
a little more on dialectics and vygotsky with sincere apologies to phil
graham for the very brusque reference to his first contribution on the
subject!
bruce robinson has already quoted the lengthy exposition by marx of the
'method' in question. the idea, i think, is that this is certainly not a
set of rules which can be prescribed and adhered to dogmatically, but that
the real process of scientific discovery and theory construction in any
discipline in fact actually follows this dialectical logic. the second and
related idea, as i understand it, is that this logic actually coincides
with the dynamic logic of the movement, development and differentiation of
complex systems (cf Jay's and Phil's later comments), in this case the
unfolding of the totality of relations of the capitalist mode of production
from the inherent contradictions within the commodity and commodity
exchange. marx's capital is consciously developed in accordance with this
(double) logic and proceeds from the 'abstract' (also rather paradoxically
known as the 'concrete universal') - ie the commodity and commodity
exchange - to the concrete (ever richer approximations to the surface
appearance of economic activity under capitalism). marx's method in capital
has been the subject of many works, but those like ilyenkov's are devoted
to uncovering the 'logic' of 'scientific cognition' as exemplified in
marx's work. all this involves the issue of the 'cell' (ie the commodity in
this case)or 'basic case' for theoretical analysis, which is the same issue
as that other staple of xcma discussion - vygtosky's 'unit of analysis'.
vygotsky i believe attempted to develop a method of investigation based on
his understanding of the method in marx's capital, hence his methodological
attention on 'what you start with'. his postulation of 'word meaning' as
his basic 'cell' was in line with his appreciation of marx's method. i
believe david bakhurst gives a very good account of these issues and the
problems associated with them in his ilyenkov book.
yours with best wishes and in some confusion
P