Kamal Choudhary: Anthropology, Science, and the Crossroads
Abstract
The anthropological approach to the study of humankind is a well-established perspective in itself and yet one would find debates around the scientific nature of the discipline brewing every now and then, either at the global level or in the academic sphere. It is difficult to point out whether such attempts are the results of sheer ignorance or staunch scientism. In the following article, the author has done his utmost to bring out such debates and analyze them through the loopholes such arguments are grounded upon, and unveil the already visible nature of anthropological sciences. The article has taken a historical approach to trace the trajectories of both science and anthropology and at the same time tried to ground it in the present scenario of the academic institution the author has been groomed in. It is anticipated that this attempt will not just clutter out the unscientific nature of “scientific” claims but will also leave the impression that anthropology is as much an artist’s activity as it is a scientist’s one.
[anthropology and science, empiricism, scientism, objectivity]
