[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: [xmca] Concept of Activity



Jeez Larry, give me a change here. Can you tell me in sentences? And things like "all acts or actions [organisms] are embodied", I just just parse. What is the meaning of the word "organism" in square brackets after "actions". I just can't understand what you are saying.
Andy

Larry Purss wrote:
Hi Andy
Varela is the scholar often credited with introducing the approach that I am trying to "understand" as "embodied. I want to say that I also am not clear about these distinctions, but will use this forum to "think out loud". Andy, all acts or actions [organisms] are embodied. Therefore a dog pursuing a cat up a tree is anembodied act. We as humans can account for this act by creating a narrative that gives"reasons" for this activity [a clear cultural historical act [general] activity as a special case of acts] As a language game we can "explain" and "interpret" the dog's acts AS IF they were activities and needs when in fact they are embodied actions [a different case of embodied acts] Giving reasons for acts [actions/wants AND activity/needs] is clearly a language game but the act of the dog chasing the cat is not a representational cognitive activity altothough giving a reason for the act is clearly an activity [cultural/historical] The dogs actions [more generally acts] can be "explained" or "understood" as perceptual actions at a sensory-motor level. It is at this level of DIRECT perception that Varela is exploring. Turning our attention to new born infants. They have intentional acts and actions which are intentional, DIRECTED and embodied [as I agree are all activity [as well as actions and acts]. However the infant does not act for "reasons" when RESPONDING to SIGNIFICANT others [significant as outlined in attachment and intersubjectivity accounts]. Her acts or actions are at the perceptual sensory-motor level of responding intentionally and purposefully. At this HUMAN level of responding perceptually AND DIRECTLY [mediated by significant other its possible to consider the mother acting as activity while the infants acts are considered acts or actions. These acts or actions when observed by a significant other are INFERRED to be activities of the infant but I suspect the infants embodied acts needs further elaboration and Varela's scholarship is one discourse language game attempting to elaborate how to understand direct on-line human acts and actions within sociocultural activity. Andy, if the infants human acts and actions are not activities [from the perspectives of the infant] then developmentally we must explain how primary enactments become activities [from the infants perspective. This is a question of transformations but the continuing place of "embodied" [as primary and basic] acts may continue to exist in a transformed structure as the infant develops the capacity to participate in activities. Andy this direct perceptually based "stuff" or "essences" is considered not like dogs chasing cats or acting for reasons. It is posited to be human but ontologically socially situated RESPONDING [intentional & purposeful but not with content] I'm not sure where Varela's perspectives of "embodied mind" fit or can be bridged with cultural historical accounts. However, it is a sociocultural developmental account. Whether it is a coherent account or just another shape-shifting language game I'm not sure. It does seem to attempt to bridge phenomenological continental philosophy with analytic accounts Larry

On Fri, Jan 7, 2011 at 12:10 AM, Andy Blunden <ablunden@mira.net <mailto:ablunden@mira.net>> wrote:

    Larry, I will just make a series of points which may clarify
    something.

    I know that "embodied" notions of enactment is referring to some
    current of thought which you are asking me to comment on, but I
    really don't know what an act which is not embodied would be.
    Perhaps you could clarify that for me?

    I think the "activity theory notions of wants and needs" is in
    need of further thought. I don't think it is sufficient to (kind
    of) simply say that "we all do things for a reason."

    I don't know what alternative notions of substance or essence you
    have in mind. I know that most people use the word "substance" in
    the naive realist sense of "stuff" and "essence" in the sense
    which is the object of feminist criticism.You would have to spell
    out what you have in mind. I use these words in quite a different
    sense.

    I don't understand what you mean by counterposing "just cultural
    language game" to "biological components of wants."

    And I don't understand the distinction you are imputing to me
    between "object-oriented activity" that is perceptual and "activity."

    Sorry, Larry. To get through my thick head you need to be very
    specific.

    Andy

    Larry Purss wrote:

        Andy, what is your thoughts on "embodied" notions of
        enactment.  This
        tradition talks about DIRECT "on-line" pre-conceptual
        pre-linquistic
        expressions of INTENTIONALITY without understanding [as
        interpretive].
        Where do the concepts of "embodied mind" as PERCEPTUALLY based
        sensory-motor
        directedness, fit  within activity theory notions of wants and
        needs?  This
        seems to be a question which points to alternative notions of
        substance or
        essence?  Is it just a cultural language game or is there a
        biological
        component of  wants involved.  Or is it another special case of
        object-oriented activity that is perceptual but not activity
        as you define
        it?
        I hope this question is clear ?

        Larry
        __________________________________________
        _____
        xmca mailing list
        xmca@weber.ucsd.edu <mailto:xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>
        http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca



-- ------------------------------------------------------------------------
    *Andy Blunden*
    Joint Editor MCA: http://lchc.ucsd.edu/MCA/Journal/
    Home Page: http://home.mira.net/~andy/ <http://home.mira.net/%7Eandy/>
    Videos: http://vimeo.com/user3478333/videos
    Book: http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=227&pid=34857
    <http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=227&pid=34857>
    MIA: http://www.marxists.org <http://www.marxists.org/>

    __________________________________________
    _____
    xmca mailing list
    xmca@weber.ucsd.edu <mailto:xmca@weber.ucsd.edu>
    http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca



--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
*Andy Blunden*
Joint Editor MCA: http://lchc.ucsd.edu/MCA/Journal/
Home Page: http://home.mira.net/~andy/
Videos: http://vimeo.com/user3478333/videos
Book: http://www.brill.nl/default.aspx?partid=227&pid=34857
MIA: http://www.marxists.org

__________________________________________
_____
xmca mailing list
xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca