Investigating cultures: A critique of cognitive anthropology

Journal/Book: J Roy Anthropol Inst. 1998; 4: 50 Fitzroy Street, London, England W1P 5Hs. Royal Anthropological Inst. 669-688.

Abstract: This article considers Sperber's arguments that a more scientific, 'natural', approach to anthropology might be pursued by abstracting from interpretive questions as much as possible, and replacing them with questions amenable to-a cognitive psychological investigation. I attempt to show that Sperber's main argument rests on controversial assumptions about the mental concepts employed within our commonsense psychological practices and that any theoretical psychology that accepts these assumptions will be revisionist concerning mental concepts. Sperber is right to point but that there must be constraints on what should count as appropriate interpretations of cultural phenomena. I argue, however, that in hoping to assimilate anthropological investigations to scientific ones, Sperber misconstrues the nature of anthropological claims.

Note: Article Tanney J, Univ Kent, Sch European Culture & Languages, Dept Philosophy, Canterbury CT2 7NY, Kent, ENGLAND

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