Anthropology as a Science and a Humanity
Interdisciplinary Nature of Anthropology
Anthropology is interdisciplinary in nature. The interdisciplinary approach of American anthropology is manifested not only through its four-field approach (cultural anthropology, archaeology, biological anthropology, and linguistics), but also because anthropologists borrow from other disciplines, ranging from philosophy, to psychology, to genetics, in order to understand the human experience in all of its dimensions. Because anthropological research covers such a wide range of topics, it is difficult to classify as either a science or a humanity.
Science involves the use of the scientific method, which is concerned with the formation and testing of hypotheses. The key traditional requirement for any scientific study is that it be replicable. That means that anyone who is following the same experimental procedure will have similar results. Experimental studies typically make use of an experimental group and a control group, so that one group undergoes an intervention (experimental group) and one does not, in order to help control for variables unrelated to the intervention that may influence the outcome. For example, in a drug study, one group may receive a drug and another a placebo.
In some areas of anthropology, experimentation is possible. While cultural anthropology and linguistics tend to use more interpretive approaches, there are branches of biological anthropology and archaeology that can be more experimental in nature and based in laboratory research rather than fieldwork. For example, a forensic anthropologist could set up an experimental decomposition study from donated human remains. But, it is much more difficult to conduct experimental studies with living people in many areas of cultural anthropology because such research would be unethical. For example, one could not conduct a study to see if children developed language if isolated from their parents. Anthropological research is not always amenable to the kind of controlled conditions that allow the replication of experiments. Much of the research in cultural anthropology is difficult to submit to the scientific method in the same way as research in the hard sciences because much of the data in cultural anthropology is descriptive rather than experimental. Some anthropologists study religion cross-culturally. Human groups around the globe have varied systems of religious beliefs. If an anthropologist wanted to understand a given culture's views on the afterlife, for example, this falls into the realm of humanities more than science. It involves interpreting another culture's world view rather than testing through experimentation.
The Value of Anthropology
Anthropological research investigates numerous questions about the human
experience. Some of these include:
What separates humans from other species?
What are the origins of humanity and culture?
How have cultures developed and changed over time?
How does the environment influence culture?
Are gender roles the same in every culture?
What are the religious beliefs and practices of non-Western cultures?
Do egalitarian cultures exist?
Do all cultures engage in the same level of violent behavior?
In addition to providing insights into understanding the diversity of the human experience over time and across the globe, anthropological research also has practical value. It provides us with a richer understanding of cultures different from our own so that we have a clearer understanding of the motivations and intentions behind human actions and beliefs in other cultural contexts. Anthropology helps to dispel negative stereotypes of others, decreases cross-cultural miscommunication, and increases acceptance of behaviors and beliefs that may differ from those of our culture of origin. In an increasingly global world, anthropological research is of critical importance in fostering cross-cultural communication, whether it is in business, travel, or even understanding cultural diversity that may exist in one's own community.
Cross-cultural interaction can often lead to mutually beneficial cultural borrowings. In fact, American society is an amalgam of cultural influences from around the world. In a famous short article by Ralph Linton called “One-Hundred Percent American,” Linton takes a typical day and describes how much of what we consider American life is actually borrowed from other cultures. Linton’s essay illustrates how Anthropology not only provides insights into the cultures of “others,” but also helps us better understand ourselves. The term reflexivity describes how the process of studying others can provide insights into ourselves. Exploring other cultures gives us the opportunity to see how others see us, and this often leads to our seeing ourselves in new ways.
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