Anthropology and the Cognitive Challenge

New Departures in Anthropology

by Maurice Bloch

In this provocative new study one of the world's most distinguished anthropologists proposes that an understanding of cognitive science enriches, rather than threatens, the work of social scientists. Maurice Bloch argues for a naturalist approach to social and cultural anthropology, introducing developments in cognitive sciences such as psychology and neurology and exploring the relevance of these developments for central anthropological the person or the self, cosmology, kinship, memory and globalisation. Opening with an exploration of the history of anthropology, Bloch shows why and how naturalist approaches were abandoned and argues that these once valid reasons are no longer relevant. Bloch then shows how such subjects as the self, memory and the conceptualisation of time benefit from being simultaneously approached with the tools of social and cognitive science. Anthropology and the Cognitive Challenge will stimulate fresh debate among scholars and students across a wide range of disciplines.

Genres: Anthropology, Nonfiction, Science, Psychology, Social Science

244 pages, Hardcover

First published June 14, 2012

Reviews

[Mirjam · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not an easy read, sometimes repetitive, but always to its good purpose of dissecting the many anthropological claims about memory. He demonstrates how a long tradition of enmity between the natural and social sciences with its unhelpful and dichotomizing nature versus culture debates ultimately resulted in vague and/or unjustified anthropological claims about culture and memory. Bloch stresses the value of viewing people in society as a single historical, psychological (cognitive)and physiological process and urges anthropologist to engage in interdisciplinarity to come to more fruitful propositions about memory and culture. Though personally not in agreement with his endorsement of evolutionary theory, the way he demonstrates the importance of the development of cognitive theories for social sciences appeals to me greatly. As an anthropologist myself I have always felt that many debates on memory just didn't hit the mark or were downright misguided. Though Bloch doesn't provide with answers regarding the how to include cognitive theories in anthropological research, his book is definitely food for thought.