[xmca] Gesture as both sedimented and spontaneous

[Larry Purss <lpscholar2@gmail.com>]

Martin

A few months ago you recommended reading an article by Elena Cuffari on
gesture.

I have just finished reading her PhD dissertation which is freely available
on the web. Her synthesis of Merleau-Ponty's phenomenological notion of the
sedimentation/spontaneity dialectic with Habermas  communicative action
paradigm was a deeply thought out exploration of intersubjectivity.

She views gesture AS linguistic which means it has the same features as
language enactments.

The other dialectic I found fascinating is her differentiating what she
describes as "meaning-leaking" models and theories of intersubjective
relevance  AND "meaning-building" understandings of intersubjective
relevance.

Meaning-leaking models use a metaphor of revelation as *unearthing*
[archeological metaphor]. Meaning-leaking sees gesture as spontaneously
revealing pre-existing mental "states* as some-*thing* which is
meaningfully existing prior to enactments and which are
revealed within  spontaneously emerging  gestures.

In contrast to meaning-leaking models the meaning-building model uses
metaphors of  construction as enactments of intersubjective revelation.
Meaning as developing co-constructively within intersubjective enactments
of sociality.

Elena's focus on the microgenetic coordination and discoordination of
sociality AS intersubjective enactments is an approach which deepens my
understanding of gesture as BOTH sedimented and spontaneous. Not as
polarity needing synthesis but rather sedimentation and spontanaity as
coordinating [or failing to coordinate] different *degrees* of
sedimentation and spontaneity withinin each situation or con-text.

Relevance and revealing are central themes in Elena's dissertation

Martin, I wanted to acknowledge your guidance in drawing me in to explore
Elena's perspective on "dwelling in the world"

She also shows how her perspective expands on Dewey's notion of experience.

Thanks

Larry
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