So… Dourish claims that “… if our technical practice is built on those foundations, then the arguments are deeply relevant, because they determine the limits of what can be done and the chances for success of our efforts to have people and computers work effectively together.” In other words, if HCI is rooted in a philosophical foundation, will those “limits” and parameters be better defined and lead to a better outcome.? As I read it, “limits” can be (at least mostly) positive as Dourish describes them. So why then, in Activity Theory would we want to “overcome” the limits by adjusting philosophical foundations?

Is the mediation by tools a limit? The community? Division of labor?