The human development-between the biological determination and the historical-cultural constitution

Abstract

In the studies and practices related to handicapped persons, the biological perspective has prevailed, according to which the mental deficiency comes from some pathogenic element present in the affected individual. Regarding the Historical-cultural perspective, although it is considered that the biologic factors constitute the inalienable organic substrat of the human development, this cannot be reduced to the biologic limit, because it is fundamentaly of social nature. Besides overcoming the dychotomy between biological and sociocultural ideas, it is necessary to make an effort to understand the trends for future development (prospective vision) and leave aside the mental deficiency as a purely cognitive problem, considering the affectivemotivational aspects involved. The "other" has a fundamental role in the construction of development potentials. The interlink between the material substrate of the psychological processes and the cultural experience happens in the intersubjectivity, by means of words and actions.