I too think that Lakoff's work is highly provocative and indeed may be
rather un-nerving
for many CHAT followers.
But in my recent reading, though not much yet, of Lakoff and Johnson's
lastest book, I cant help but feel a sense of harking back to the work of
Luria and his studies on brain damage.
In trying to relate Lakoff's claims to my work, perhaps, there's heaps on
the basic genetic/physiological aspects of human development that affect our
sociocultural functioning. Didnt Vygotsky speak of an interweaving of the
biological development plane with that of the sociocultural plane. What do
you think?
Victoria
At 03:13 PM 28/10/99 -0700, you wrote:
>Vera,
>
>That was beautifully expressed and provides an answer to my question insofar
>as it reduces the status of the selves that Judy named to facets of a
>system. I suppose that any facet itself, etc. would be capable of becoming
>a system of similar facets, holographic or fractal reproduction, etc. But .
>. . is the body that is born, lives and dies an encompassing system that we
>inevitably presuppose and whose trajectory demarcates the domain of all that
>can occur as experience of self? Higher mental functions still embodied
>mental functions?
>
>Paul H. Dillon
>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: Vera P. John-Steiner <vygotsky who-is-at unm.edu>
>To: xmca who-is-at weber.ucsd.edu <xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>; Vera P. John-Steiner
><vygotsky who-is-at unm.edu>
>Date: Thursday, October 28, 1999 2:38 PM
>Subject: Re: A question of selves
>
>
>>It seems to me that the selves of which Judy writes are different facets
>>of the functional system of self. When focusing on a coherent account
>>of one's life, one aspect of remembered experiences is mobilized. In
>>conversational contexts an other facet emerges, that of a very immediate
>>awareness of the otherwith whom one co-constructs utterances, thoughts,
>>and opinions. These govern the practice of voicing. Audience,
>>artifacts, purpose all contribute to mobilizing the subset of
>>possibilities that are part of the dynamics of the "self,
>>or what Wenger refers to as "identity as a focus of social selfhood."
>>In my class on collaboration, students speak of the simultaneously
>>experiencing mutuality and autonomy; they embrace Penuel and Wertsch's
>>statement about the irreducible tension of the individual and the
>>social.
>>Vera
>>---------------------------------
>>Vera P. John-Steiner
>>Department of Linguistics
>>Humanities Bldg. 526
>>University of New Mexico
>>Albuquerque, NM 87131
>>(505) 277-6353 or 277-4324
>>Internet: vygotsky who-is-at unm.edu
>>---------------------------------
>>
>
>
>
Victoria Yew
Doctoral Candidate
School of Educational Psychology, Literacies & Learning
Faculty of Education (A35)
University of Sydney
NSW 2006
AUSTRALIA
Telephone : (02) 9351 6326/ International +61 2 9351 6326
Fax : (02) 9351 2606 / International +61 2 9351 2606
E-mail : v.yew who-is-at edfac.usyd.edu.au