I would tend to try to start like you did Mike, using activity in a 'common
sense' way, to define it. How people conceptualise that and build theories
on it, is some thing else.
If Fichte is the first to use 'activity' as a category, then the special
feature of activity for him was that it was both subjective and objective,
both initiated by a will, but following paths determined by objective
constraints, both the result of an image in the mind and an effect in the
material world. Fichte also introduced the idea of intersubjectivity as a
process of Ego development, very similar to GH Mead's idea.
Hegel introduces the dreaded triangle, where the specifically human kind of
activity involves using tools, symbols and other people. I think, from what
you say about the diversity of opinion on this matter Mike, that this is
enough to justify the abstract notion of 'activity', and if I go with A N
Leontyev's theorising, I will be doing justice to how it is used in the CHAT
tradition. For my purposes, I do not need to elaborate Yrjo's
triads-within-triads, and so on. I am an outsider in this field.
Mary, thank you for the point to Wikipedia. Here is what she says:
An activity is seen as a system of human "doing" whereby a
subject works on an object in order to obtain a desired
outcome. In order to do this, the subject employs tools, which
may be external (e.g. an axe, a computer) or internal (e.g. a
plan). ... As we shall see later, many subjects may be involved
in the activity and each subject may have one or more motives.
And yes Mike, of course, this is very much connected with that earlier
thread.
thanks all,
Andy
At 01:42 PM 8/01/2006 -0800, you wrote:
On 1/7/06 8:27 PM, "Mike Cole" <lchcmike@gmail.com> wrote:
> A good statement of general tenets of this approach is
>>> provided by Engeström, who writes that an activity system,
>>>
>>> integrates the subject, the object, and the instruments (material
tools
>> as
>>> well as signs and symbols) into a unified whole.
>>>
>>> An activity system incorporates both the object-oriented productive
>> aspect
>>> and the person-oriented communicative aspect of human conduct.
I was thinking about this very thing this morning, reading the definition
of
Activity Theory on wikipedia... And it occurred to me as I presented one
of
the many variants of the triangle to the students in my brand new
sociocultural theory class, that there is an odd disconnect between
activity
theory, and its attendant notions of goal-directed actions and the
importance of objects, and object-relations theory, and its critical focus
on the psychological and constitutive value of objects. Maybe there is
some
really well known piece of work out there that brings these two threads
together, but if there is -- (a) I don't know what it is (not surprizing)
and (b) I would love to read it, so please tell me about it.
The affective and psychic -- that is, subjectivity -- pieces of activity
theory seem really short-sighted and overly rational, which is where
object-relations seems to have a lot to offer, and yet rarely be cited by
socioculturalists...
Sunday musings,
Mary (Happy New Year)
PS> I was going to propose to moderate/coordinate a discussion of a
reading
in February, but I think with the generous offer of participation by Mike
in
his mediational theories course, that perhaps I should hold off until May
or
so?
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