Anthropological theories, especially structuralism and functionalism, spring from the strain of Kant's subjective idealism, which distances them from a truly scientific explanation of culture; but it brings them closer to a phenomenological theory of culture. This essay reflects on this epistemological problem from Hegel's critique of Kant's epistemology, which Hegel describes as ordinary consciousness. From this point of view, structuralism and functionalism would not explain the phenomenon of culture, but by recreating it phenomenologically, they would represent a wild thought of anthropology.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Culture as a black box
3. Magic, science and religión
4. Magic seen by magic
5. Kant in structuralism
6. Agnosticism
Objectives and Topics
This essay explores the epistemological challenges within anthropological theories—specifically structuralism and functionalism—by tracing their roots back to Kantian subjective idealism and comparing them with Hegelian critiques. It investigates how these theories inadvertently distance themselves from a truly scientific explanation of culture, opting instead for a phenomenological recreation that the author identifies as a "wild thought" of anthropology.
- The influence of Kantian philosophy on early anthropological methodology.
- The intersection of functionalism, structuralism, and empirio-criticism.
- The tension between subjective idealism and scientific objectivity in social sciences.
- Critiques of the phenomenological approach to cultural understanding.
- The evolution from classical anthropological theories to postmodern discourse.
Excerpt from the Book
Culture as a black box
Malinowski was a man trained in the natural sciences, specifically in physics, and also in psychology, which leads him to be one of the first anthropologists to apply the methods of the natural sciences to socio-cultural analysis. Kant's influence on Malinowski is not direct, it occurs through one of the founders of psychophysics: the Austrian scientist Ernst Mach.
For the empirio-criticists, everything that is within the border of the self (umgrenzung) is the domain of psychology, and that which is outside, of physics. This led Malinowski to explain the phenomena of culture from a psycho-subjective determinism, which is objectified by transcending the umgrenzung. As an idealist, he considers that the knowledge of reality is subjective, and that objectivity is possible as intersubjectivity, and most importantly, that we only see in reality, what we ourselves put into it. This leads to a contradiction that it solves thanks to the methods of behaviorism, since the standardization of human behavior allows the formulation of statistical laws of culture.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Outlines the critique of Kantian subjective idealism and its limitations when applied to anthropological theory, highlighting the reliance on ordinary consciousness.
Culture as a black box: Examines Malinowski's application of natural science methods and empirio-criticism to cultural phenomena, leading to a psycho-subjective determinism.
Magic, science and religión: Analyzes how functionalist theories attempt to reconstruct religious worlds through biological and pragmatic needs rather than socially elaborated meanings.
Magic seen by magic: Explores the application of pure reason and practical knowledge to beliefs, demonstrating the internal consistency of magical systems within their own framework.
Kant in structuralism: Discusses Lévi-Strauss’s self-proclaimed "hyperkantian" approach and the shift towards seeing structure rather than mere utility in cultural classifications.
Agnosticism: Addresses the formal inconsistency in anthropological theory regarding the unknowability of objective reality and the subsequent drift into solipsism and postmodernism.
Keywords
Anthropological theory, phenomenology, theory of knowledge, epistemology, structuralism, functionalism, subjective idealism, Malinowski, Kant, Lévi-Strauss, empirio-criticism, cultural phenomena, magic, reason.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the central focus of this work?
The work focuses on the epistemological underpinnings of anthropological theories, specifically functionalism and structuralism, and how they are rooted in Kantian subjective idealism.
What are the primary thematic areas covered?
Key themes include the critique of Kantian idealism, the methodologies of Malinowski and Lévi-Strauss, the nature of scientific vs. phenomenological explanations of culture, and the development of postmodern social thought.
What is the primary research objective?
The objective is to expose the epistemological limitations of viewing culture through a subjective-idealist lens, arguing that such approaches often result in a "wild thought" rather than a scientific understanding.
Which scientific methodology is the focus of the critique?
The essay critiques the application of natural science methodologies, particularly behaviorism and empirio-criticism, as a means to understand cultural and social phenomena.
What does the main body of the text discuss?
It examines how thinkers like Malinowski and Lévi-Strauss grapple with "magic," "religion," and "classification" through a Kantian framework that limits the possibility of accessing objective truth.
Which keywords best characterize the study?
The study is characterized by terms such as epistemology, phenomenology, structuralism, functionalism, subjective idealism, and cultural determinism.
How does the author define the "black box of culture"?
The "black box" refers to the tendency in behavioral analysis to study human action while ignoring the underlying cognitive processes and consciousness, essentially treating cultural phenomena as predetermined by needs.
What is the significance of the Hegelian critique in this essay?
Hegel serves as the primary critic of the Kantian system, specifically regarding how it remains trapped within "ordinary consciousness" and "appearances," failing to move toward truly mediated scientific knowledge.
What does the author suggest regarding postmodernism?
The author views postmodernism as an extreme version of subjective idealism—solipsism—arguing that it lacks scientific rigor and permits improvised discourse on complex socio-cultural issues.
- Quote paper
- Sozialanthropologe Javier Flórez Miranda (Author), 2020, The wild thought of anthropology. Kant in the anthropological theory, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/965219
