I have a good friend who studied evolutionary ecology during our undergraduate years. He eats science for breakfast. The scientific method is his guiding principle. At our last get together, I began talking about science as a cultural phenomenon. This conversation graduated into an entire day's debate about the cultural nature of the scientific method.
One purpose of anthropology is to understand human cultural diversity, and therefore the methods to understand this diversity must delve into human experience. Cultural anthropology research design requires that researchers spend long hours in the field with participants, learning behaviors, beliefs, experiences, relationships, and myriad other aspects of human life. And the research can seem
“So you're studying anthropology,†my aunt said. “Are you finding any good bones? How do you know where to dig?†I sighed. I should be used to it—people relating my work to Raiders of the Lost Ark—but somehow I never am. “I'm not an archaeologist,†I replied. “I'm a cultural anthropologist.†“You're a what?†she
