Re: [xmca] Hello Other Brain, how are you?

[Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net>]

You have good muses Mabel (Vygotsky and Marx), pity you
don't have better supervisors. Your approach, studying
microsituations as social, is Vygotsky's approach too, I
think, and excellent one, that is often, I fear, not well
understood. I am probably the last person to ask about that
kind of problem as I have a devil of a problem making myself
understood. Others will know the answers to your questions
better than me, too. But I will mention a few suggestions.

Mabel Encinas wrote:
> My supervisors are questioning now, that I do not study 
> emotions, but "the expression of emotions". 
> I know how to solidify my argument in this bit, but could you 
> please give me some references of where should I read about the 
> difference-relation between ontological and methodological dualism?

I guess you have already read Vygotsky's comments on
ontological vs methodological/epistemological dualism:
http://marx.org/archive/vygotsky/works/crisis/psycri13.htm#p1367

If you use Google on this one, you will probably find a page
where I am being attacked by someone called Neville for
failing to make this distinction. I am far from sure of the
value of that exchange but you are welcome to read it. I
would not attempt a short summary of this issue.

I am not sure what you are being accused of about emotions.
Martha Nussbaum is a Critical Theorist who writes good stuff
about emotions. And of course everyone reads Antonio
Damassio, with his distinction between feelings and
emotions. Certainly, emotions are only present in
consciousness thanks to their "interpretation" by culturally
acquired concepts.

""the expression of emotions" is a strange expression to me.
Are they using "emotions" to refer to forms of consciousness
which are "expressed" in high blood pressure, etc? Or are
they using "emotions" to refer to physiological conditions,
which are "expressed" in the character of behavior. I don't
understand. I am sure others will know. Sounds like a
template accusation.

Andy

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