Re: [xmca] concept

[Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net>]

Vygotsky says, in reference to adolescents learning concepts:

"The unit ..., the simplest action with which the intellect 
of the adolescent operates, is, of course, not a 
representation, but a concept." (LSV CW v. 5 p.50)

If it is actions which are the units of "with which the 
intellect operates," then to say a concept is the unit of 
consciousness is only another way of saying that concepts 
are units of life.

This was also Hegel's position, but he didn't talk about 
activity. It was all thought. A concept was the unit of a 
"formation of consciousness", which was what Hegel called a 
"social formation" or "community of practice."

Andy

Steve Gabosch wrote:
> You've packed a lot of ideas in a few sentences, Andy!  Saying that 
> concepts are words that are associated with systems of actions makes 
> sense to me in that it links word-meaning with human action.  But you 
> say next that a concept is "the basic unit of the life of some system of 
> practice."   Could you clarify a little?  Just trying to follow your 
> thinking here ...
>
> - Steve
>
>
> On Oct 27, 2009, at 6:15 PM, Andy Blunden wrote:
>
> > Eric,
> >
> > Ultimately, a concept is a word associated with some system of actions 
> > and known to some individual(s). The word is a sign for the concept, 
> > and a concept is the basic unit of the life of some system of practice.
> >
> > A concept must be distinguished from the properties or attributes of a 
> > thing. The list of something's attributes is not a concept of the 
> > thing. A true concept is independent of the attributes of any thing 
> > and indicates some innovation in a system of practice to overcome some 
> > problem which arose in the development of the relevant social formation.
> >
> > But thinking in concepts requires both sensuous perception of the 
> > attibutes of things and the (true) concepts of the things. Perception 
> > of the attributes of things is called a "pseudoconcept" in the CHAT 
> > tradition. Real, genuinely conscious human activity is the unity of a 
> > true concept and a pseudoconcept.
> >
> > Andy
> >
> > ERIC.RAMBERG@spps.org wrote:
> > > Hello all:
> > > Recent discussions have caused me to ponder the "concept of 
> > > concept".  It is not merely a property that something posseses; for 
> > > water certainly contains hydrogen and oxygen regardless of whether it 
> > > is labeled as such. However; if I am learning about water than I am 
> > > provided the opportunity to observe and experiment with the 
> > > properties water exhibits/contains.  At zero degrees celsius the 
> > > water freezes, at one hundred degrees celsius it boils.  Again these 
> > > are properties but as I am learning about them do they become 
> > > concepts?  That liquids freeze and boil.  Is answering these 
> > > questions on a science quiz enough to claim a student can 
> > > conceptualize boiling and freezing?  I believe LSV would answer no.  
> > > So then back to the blocks experiment and what precisely was LSV 
> > > proposing about the development of concepts?
> > > eric
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> > --
> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> > Andy Blunden http://www.erythrospress.com/
> > Classics in Activity Theory: Hegel, Leontyev, Meshcheryakov, Ilyenkov 
> > $20 ea
> >
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--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Andy Blunden http://www.erythrospress.com/
Classics in Activity Theory: Hegel, Leontyev, Meshcheryakov, 
Ilyenkov $20 ea

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