Dear Richard Mochelle and FW Subscribers,
The meaning of work is something that I have struggled with quite
a bit in my own academic writing. It has many meanings, and these meanings
have to be clarified in some way. Rather than totally dropping the word, I
have chosen to clarify the different types.
I start with a rather simple, but broad, definition of work, and
then add to it as required. I define work as nothing more than conscious
activity directed toward the accomplishment of an end. This work can be
waged or unwaged, biologically and economically (bio-economically)
necessary or unnecessary, enjoyable or painful etc. There can be many
combinations of these (e.g. waged work that is bio-economically necessary,
or waged work that is bio-economically unnecessary).
With these sorts of distinctions, one can collapse the
conventional work/leisure distinction, for if work is nothing more than
conscious activity directed toward the accomplishmetn of an end, work can
be part of free time (but waged work, for various reasons, cannot).
I think the fact that the human body is always working (provided
it is alive), may get us a bit too far from our main purpose, as the sort
of working that the body does is not usually consciously activated by the
human subject (though certainly, some of the work we do helps keep it
functioning).
A bit of Oxford analysis for you. Just some food for thought. Take
it or leave it.
Your concerns are of interest to me, and I would be willing to
participate in your group.
Yours,
Robert L. Needham
Oxford University
