Mankind's physical evolution

Man's physical evolution was a source of controversy in the past and is now a fascinating journey into prehistoric tines thanks in part to the archeological and physical anthropological findings over the last century. However, it was due to Charles Darwin's initial studies and research and eventual development of the evolution theory that directed and focused the ensuing scientific studies.

The evolution of how man lived, how he developed technology and social structures, among other elements, is another facet of anthropology that is termed "culture." And, just as Darwin's theories were criticized, now Marvin Harris, in Cultural Materialism the Struggle for a Science of Culture (1980), ignites his own controversy as he attempts to take the lead in classifying cultural anthropology under the broader term of "cultural materialism," and at the same time making it the leading scientific theory of cultural evolution. The purpose of this paper will be to critique Harris' work, including reviewing the book's content, and analyzing the strong and weak points of his arguments as well as the overall theoretical significance of the work.

Harris, an anthropologist who alternated his professional career between the classroom (Columbia University) and the field, became disenchanted with the fragmented theories regarding culture that were being produced by his peers. In response, he wrote The Rise of Anthropological Theory: A History of Theories of Culture published in 1968. As par

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nvinced of the need for a revitalized look at culture To make his case, Harris presents the scientific background which is key to the development of his strategy and thus creates a body of work framed by scientific parameters. Included in this research is an historical perspective of scientific thought ranging from Francis Bacon to Karl Marx. In so doing, he realizes the need for both facts and theories to form the basis of scientific study as well as the importance of observation and experience in understanding the relationship between nonmathematical facts (P. 9). Further, he argues that scientific progress depends on wide-ranging comparisons of alternative theories and of a network of theories, thus is the reason much of the book focuses on comparing cultural materialism with its competitors (p. 24). Harris also confronts the contradiction faced in creating science out of something that concerns itself with two radically different kinds of phenomena: mental versus behavioral. "There remains the fact that the thoughts and behavior of the participants can be viewed from two different perspectives: from the perspective of the participants themselves, and from the perspective of the observers" (p. 31). To minimize the confus

Category: Science - M