1. Vygotsky & the Concept of Consciousness A talk by Andy Blunden 18 th February 2011

2. Reflexology Subjective Psychology Vygotsky’s Immanent Critique of Reflexology Immanent critique

3. consciousness physiology behaviour

4. Behaviourism Physiological Behaviourism Social Behaviourism Excludes any notion of consciousness

5. Behaviourism Physiological Behaviourism Social Behaviourism (1) Aims to predict and control behaviour (2) Excludes evidence proffered by the Subject (3) Excludes any notion of consciousness (4) Takes human beings as uncultured brutes

6. Behaviourism Physiological Behaviourism Social Behaviourism

7. The Ontology of Consciousness “The question is whether in introspection phenomenon and being coincide” and quoting Lenin: “the only ‘property’ of matter connected with philosophical materialism is the property of being an objective reality, of existing outside of our consciousness... the concept of matter means nothing other than objective reality, existing independently from human consciousness and reflected by it.” Vygotsky

8. The Ontology of Consciousness “My relation to my environment is my consciousness.” Marx

9. The Ontology of Consciousness “what for me is a mental, non-material, suprasensory act, is in itself a material, sensory act.” Feuerbach

10. The Ontology of Consciousness

11. Herder ↓ Goethe ↓ Hegel ↓ Marx Unit of Analysis

12. “Pavlov perceived the general in the particular” “For the reflexologists, everything is a reflex”

13. Romantic Science Gestalt Urphänomen

14. Units, Elements, Microcosms, Attributes and Archetypes Unit vs. Element: Every unit exhibits all the properties of the whole Unit is always the unit of a Gestalt, and is itself a complete organism

15. Units, Elements, Microcosms, Attributes and Archetypes Unit vs. Attribute: An attribute is just a contingent property, not the subject itself x y x & y

16. Units, Elements, Microcosms, Attributes and Archetypes Archetype vs. Microcosm: Microcosm is the most developed unit; Archetype is the simplest unit.

17. Unit of Analysis Perezhivanie = Lived experience or adventure (unit for development of personality) Joint artefact-mediated action (unit for the intellect) Word meaning (unit for verbal thinking)

18. Thinking and Speech Development of Speech Development of Intellect (Concepts) Pre-Intellectual Speech and Pre-verbal Intelligence Thinking which is beyond words speechconcepts Communicative Speech “Thinking aloud” Inner Speech Pseudo- and Potential Concepts “True” Concepts

19. Any Questions?

20. In Conclusion http://lchc.ucsd.edu/mca/Paper/Genealogy-CHAT.htm

21. Available for consultation: 2:30pm – 5pm Tuesday 15 th February 1:30pm – 4pm Wednesday 16 th February 2:30pm – 5pm Friday 18 th February 1:30pm – 4pm Monday 21 st February 2:30pm – 5pm Tuesday 22 nd February 2:30pm – 5pm Wednesday 23 rd February 12:30pm – 5pm Friday 25 th February Please book a time with Carol on 082 562 1050

22. Program of Talks Tuesday 15 th Staff Lounge12:30pmThe Mind from Descartes to Hegel W’sday 16 th Senate Room 4:30pm Marx & Modernity: Mind, Culture & Activity Friday18 th Staff Lounge12:30pmVygotsky & Concept of Consciousness Monday 21 st Senate Room 4:30pmIs Science a Humanity? Tuesday 22 nd Staff Lounge12:30pm Units & Motives in Activity Theory W’nsday 23 rd Staff Lounge12:30pm Projects & the Problem of Context Monday 28 th Staff Lounge12:30pm Vygotsky’s Theory of Child Development

23. Genealogy of CHAT: http://lchc.ucsd.edu/mca/Paper/Genealogy-CHAT.htm Andy Blunden’s Home Page http://home.mira.net/~andy History of Philosophy on M.I.A.: http://www.marxists.org/reference/subject/philosophy/