Phil,
Exactly which anthropologists does Pinker refer to? Marshall Sahlins?
Doesn't Pinker subscribe to a somewhat biogenetic explanation of language and culture that focuses primarily on the supposed hard-wiring of the human brain with absolutely no role for the socio-cultural structuration of that very brain?
In any event, it would seem that the role the State has assumed in the resolution of interpersonal conflicts (no more Nuer blood feuds except on the streets of south central Los Angeles) belies the fact that the modern State perpetrates daily violence at a level inimaginable to our Stone Age ancestors.
pAUL dILLON
Mike Cole <lchcmike@gmail.com> wrote:
False premises lead nowhere except to headlines.
What chutzpah!
mike
On 3/29/07, Phil Chappell
wrote:
>
> Steven Pinker writes a piece claiming the "leftist anthropologists'
> celebration of the noble savage" was mistaken and that we are
> becoming a much less violent species. Whilst referring to interesting
> data, and more "interesting" explanations, Pinker hedges toward
> celebrating our current peaceful state...rather a worry.
>
> Phil
>
> http://www.edge.org/documents/archive/edge206.html#pinker
>
> _______________________________________________
> xmca mailing list
> xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
> http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
>
_______________________________________________
xmca mailing list
xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
---------------------------------
It's here! Your new message!
Get new email alerts with the free Yahoo! Toolbar.
_______________________________________________
xmca mailing list
xmca@weber.ucsd.edu
http://dss.ucsd.edu/mailman/listinfo/xmca
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b29 : Sun Apr 01 2007 - 01:00:11 PST