Legendary anthropologist Tim Ingold discusses the intersection of art and science, the importance of amateurism in anthropology, and the impact of phenomenology on biosocial being. He explores the concept of life as a continuous flow of re/productive activity and challenges conventional ideas about education. Ingold also touches on the relationship between anthropology and architecture, emphasizing the role of shared imagination and the temporal basis of creation.
Anthropology should be grounded in art, emphasizing the importance of amateurism in science.
Overcoming the divide between biological and social inheritance is crucial in anthropology.
Anthropology challenges static views by focusing on movement, transformation, and ontological aspects.
Deep dives
Philosophy and Anthropology's Mutual Influence
The speaker discusses the influence of philosophy on anthropology, highlighting that anthropologists often excel in philosophy as they philosophize in the world and consider a wider array of perspectives than traditional philosophers. This emphasis on conducting philosophy through engagement with the world contributes to the depth and complexity of anthropological analysis.
The Transformative Power of Fieldwork
Fieldwork, as described by the speaker, has a transformative impact on individuals, leading to changes in perception, reflection, and ways of being. Fieldwork experiences, while not immediately apparent in their effects, gradually shape individuals' understanding, worldview, and capacity for critical analysis and self-reflection.
The Significance of Movement and Formation in Anthropology
The podcast explores the concept of movement and formation in anthropological inquiry, emphasizing the importance of considering the world in terms of becoming rather than being. By focusing on movement, transformation, and the ontological aspects of existence, anthropology challenges static views and promotes a dynamic understanding of the world.
Promoting Critical Dialogue and Anthropological Input in Public Discourse
The speaker underscores the importance of anthropologists advancing their perspectives in public discussions and debates to correct misconceptions and provide insightful analyses. Encouraging anthropologists to speak up, share their expertise, and challenge prevailing narratives is essential for enriching public discourse and bringing unique anthropological insights to contemporary issues.
Striving for Ethical Living and Sustainability
The podcast advocates for exploring alternative approaches to sustainable living by reconciling knowledge systems, healing the disconnect between humans, nature, and science. By embracing a path of open-ended and sustainable futures, grounded in communal dialogue, anthropology aims to engage in ongoing reflections on how individuals and societies should inhabit and coexist with the world.
The Evolving Role of Anthropology in Environmental Discourse
Anthropology is positioned as a key player in addressing environmental challenges through critical examination and active engagement with pressing issues. By fostering introspective conversations, challenging traditional narratives, and advocating for transformative action, anthropology offers valuable contributions to reorienting societal perspectives and behaviors for a more sustainable future.
Cymene and Dominic talk corporate irresponsibility—looking at you ITC and Boeing—on this week’s podcast. Then (13:44) we welcome the legendary Tim Ingold to the conversation. We start by talking about his new book, Anthropology: Why it Matters (Polity Press, 2018) and Tim explains why he thinks the practice of science should be grounded in art. We move from there to the importance of amateurism, how much impact phenomenology has had upon Tim’s thinking about biosocial being, and why he wanted to write a manifesto about anthropology’s relevance today. We engage his arguments that anthropology’s attention to different ways of thinking and being in the world are crucial speculative resources and how overcoming the conventional concept of inheritance might be the key to overcoming the opposition between the biological and the social. We turn from there to understanding life as a constant flow of re/productive activity and the temporal and performative basis of shared imagination. That leads us to his second recent book, Anthropology and/as Education (Routledge, 2018) in which Tim pushes back against the idea that education is about the transmission of information. From there we talk about what fascinates him about architecture, how to think about creation beyond the imposition of form on to matter, process ontology and why clouds are not furniture of the sky. We close on the Anthropocene and how Tim views the goal of sustainability not as solving all problems for all time but of giving each generation the possibility of starting afresh.
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