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To the Editor:
THIS LETTER IS A RESPONSE TO "Vygotsky and Piaget," by A. Tenzer (26:: 46–51). In that paper Tenzer highlighted the points of similarity between the theories of Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky and concluded that, overall, points of contention "seem … to be more a matter of emphasis than of a radical difference in viewpoint" (p. 50). Tenzer is not alone in this opinion (Biddell, 1988); (Rogoff, 1988), which is certainly not devoid of merit. However, in my view, a presentation of similarities alone skews the question, ignoring as it does, central paradigmatic and substantive differences. In order to allow a more fine-grained exploration of the points of comparison, I believe it would be useful to elaborate the underlying assumptions and relevant issues of the theories.
My argument revolves around a comparison of two main points: (1) paradigmatic assumptions; (2) the relationship between the individual and society in cognitive development. Related issues will be touched upon along the way.
All theories presuppose general models upon which formulations are based (Reese & Overton, 1970). These models, which have been called, variously, "paradigms" or "world views" (Kuhn, 1962) and "world hypotheses" (Pepper, 1942) embody disparate constructions of the "the way the world is," and consequently are irreconcilable. Despite potential overlap in the subject matter they