Understanding anthropological understanding: For a merological anthropology

Journal article

Abstract:: In this article I argue for a merological anthropology in which ideas of 'partiality' and 'practical adequacy' provide a way out of the impasse of relativism which is implied by postmodernism and the related abandonment of a concern with 'truth'. Ideas such as 'aptness' and 'faithfulness' enable us to re-establish empirical foundations without having to espouse a simple realism which has been rightly criticized. Ideas taken from ethnomethodology, particularly the way we bootstrap from 'practical adequacy' to 'warrants for confidence', point to a merological anthropology in which we recognize that we do not and cannot know everything, but that we can have reasons for being confident in the little we know. © 2009 SAGE Publications.

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Language:: English
Keywords:: merology

Empirical responsibility

partiality

relativism

ethnomethodology

realism

postmodernism

practical adequacy
Pubs id:: 295591
UUID:: uuid:2e45d758-6cf7-40a5-a1fd-282e81d0d335
Local pid:: pubs:295591
Source identifiers:: 295591
Deposit date:: 2013-11-17
ARK identifier:: ark:/29072/ora_2e45d7586cf740a5a1fd282e81d0d335

Copyright holder:: SAGE Publications
Notes:: Copyright © 2009 SAGE Publications. The final, definitive version of this paper has been published in Anthropological Theory June 2009 vol. 9 no. 2 209-231 by SAGE Publications Ltd, All rights reserved.

Licence:: Terms and Conditions of Use for Oxford University Research Archive

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