Re: [轉錄] Anthropology a Science? Statement De …
A recent debate on whether anthropology is a science reminds me of what
Franz Boas called "the shackles of tradition"─"for when we recognize them,
we are also able to break them."
Briefly, the recent "science war" began with American Anthropological
Association's stated purpose at last month's general meeting. In its new
long-term goal statement, AAA claims that its purpose is to "advance public
understanding of humankind in all its aspects." Since the previous version
of goal statement from AAA said that the association would "advance
anthropology as the science that studies humankind in all its aspects."
This replacement apparently signals a shift away from "championing scientific
study" to "promoting public understanding.” This also instantly led to some
anthropologists" strong rejection to AAA leadership, concerning that it is
rejecting science. It has prompted some blog posts discussing this shift in
anthropology, such as "No Science, Please. We're Anthropologists" (by Alice
Dreger), "Anthropology Association Rejecting Science?" (by Peter Wood), and
"Science Wars? Anthropologists Debate Whether Science Is Central to Their
Discipline" (by Matthew C. Nisbet).
While some (i.e. Sarah Hrdy and Alice Dreger) critique AAA's stated
purpose as "going backwards" and "abandoning the goal of using anthropology
to try to understand human nature," urge AAA officials to put "science" back
in anthropology and AAA's mission statement. Daniel Lende indicates, there's
nothing wrong in doing scientific studies in anthropology; anthropology is
just more than a science. "We do science, and we do other things," Lende said.
Then why do some anthropologists (mostly biological & medical anthropologists)
who insist on scientific rigor get so agitated on this issue?
--
If you guys are interested in this issue, here's a good site that lists
many of the online articles available: http://tinyurl.com/2cqp4vf
For further reading:
AAA's long-term goal statement: http://tinyurl.com/27ns7a6
Daniel Lende's article: http://tinyurl.com/24ceesh
Some anthropologists and social science enthusiasts dicussing on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/search?q=%23aaafail
Alice Dreger's article: http://tinyurl.com/2dl9srf
Peter Wood's article: http://tinyurl.com/3ym3pra
Matthew C. Nisbet's article: http://bigthink.com/ideas/25231
※ 引述《Ranch99 (何不食夢貘)》之銘言：
: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/10/science/10anthropology.html?_r=1
--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc)
◆ From: 71.189.113.99
※ 編輯: bulumoon 來自: 71.189.113.99 (12/17 13:39)
推
07/23 17:00, , 1F
07/23 17:00, 1F