Hi David- This message was begun several days ago but got hung up in my messy schedule and a delay while I got to Koffka. I would like very much to continue the microgeneis discussion started by Greg (or was it you?) because it seems to me to get us to the heart of the learning/development issue. We made a lot of progress a few years ago when you and Andy and I tried to write down "our" theory of development, with LSV as the paternal text. While I have been off doing my form of inquiry, you have been doing yours including all of the intense work on Tool and Znak, and immersing yourself in the texts. I have have a copy of Koffka at home, so I read a bunch of places where the learning/development issue is brought up. Rather than jump straight into conversation, I would like to provide other xmca'ites as wish, to read the texts being discussed. To that end, I have attached a few pages from Koffka that seem particularly to the point. As I understand it, this approach, which attributes cultural influences on development only for forms of action that are species typical/universal and closely related to (acquiring a first language, acquiring the ability to walk and run and jump and duck, and so on). So the answer to questions about development being involved in learning to ride a bike or acquing the ability to read a phonetic alphabet. The matter is forclosed. Reading is a process of learning, ipso facto, end of discussion. You indicate in your note that LSV also had some disagreements with Koffka, but I was not clear on what they were. If you could elaborate in context I would find it helpful. So, moving slowly, and doggedly sticking to the topic of microgenesis of functions including acquiring the ability to walk, to ride a bike, and to learn to read, and lets include acquire a language, since that is clearly a central topic, I attach the relevant pages from Koffka so others can see what we are nattering on about, and at least figure out what is at stake. If you would indicate other parts of Koffka to read, David, if you think them relevant, I can make the pdf and distribute. more to come. mike PS-- ALL-- Note David's new email. I am probably not the only one who missed the transition to it.
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Koffka_Growth of Mind.pdf
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