ABSTRACT
Note 2.1.0 In ordinary language, many of the verbs descriptive of personal activities can be subsumed under two broad categories. One contains terms such as looking, listening, reading, and may be labeled cognizing. A second contains terms such as expressing, talking, writing, and may be labeled doing. The two categories can be distinguished by the type of goals involved. In cognizing, the goal is to achieve information about the situation, and in doing, the goal is to achieve a change in the situation. The two kinds of processes can be seen merged into one in the case of a blind or blindfolded person who is asked to identify an object. The hand movements are at the same time doing (turning the object around and hence, changing the situation) and cognizing (touching the object on all sides and hence, construing a coherent image of the object). In this case, doing is subordinated to a cognitive goal, but frequently the reverse situation occurs, that is, cognizing is subordinated to some action goal. In general, cognizing and doing are constantly coordinated.
