Available light : anthropological reflections on philosophical topics /

In cadenced prose, noted anthropologist Geertz examines his own life, education and work and the ways in which the fields of anthropology and philosophy might benefit each other, in a collection of essays reprinted from such journals as the Antioch Review and Common Knowledge. His recollections of the intellectual excitement in post-War World II colleges, filled with people on the brink of a new life and paid for by the G.I. Bill, reveal an intriguing facet of American intellectual history as well as the author's roots as an anthropologist. His now-famous fieldwork in Java in 1952 becomes a point of departure for other intellectual explorations. Geertz can be quite provocative--in discussing the ethical dimensions of anthropology, he concludes that "thought is conduct and is to be morally judged as such." He is also exacting, as when he claims that "anthropologists will simply have to make something of subtler differences, and their writing will grow more shrewd." His most challenging arguments for contemporary thinkers come at the end, when he discusses the impact of postmodernism on various disciplines and whether cohesive identities are possible in our world. Carefully teasing out how the study of cultural "differences" and "similarities" can work--"the trick is to get them to illuminate one another"--Geertz once again makes an important contribution to how we think and live in the world today. (May) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved

In retrospect, the period following the end of World War II can be identified as the heyday of cultural anthropology. Geertz (Inst. of Advanced Studies) entered the discipline just as it was beginning to flourish. In his distinguished career, he has been prominent in developing some of its most important projects, including symbolic/interpretive anthropology, ecological anthropology, and the study of newly independent nations in the developing world. With these essays, addresses, and reviews, he updates us on his thoughts on cultural interpretation, the nature of political entities, and trends in various academic disciplines. As the subtitle promises, he philosophizes on the nature of anthropology and its possible relevance today. The book assumes some knowledge of contemporary academic trends, and its reviews of recent debates in the field are neither comprehensive nor satisfying. However, it reflects an eminent scholar's mature insights into the state of anthropology after it has lost much of its former prestige; realistically, Geertz holds out no optimism for its future as a profession. Several strong essays make this an essential addition to academic and many public libraries.--Jay H. Bernstein, Fordham Univ. Lib., Bronx, NY (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

If the proper study of mankind is man, anthropology ought to be the most vital of all sciences. In this collection of essays, reviews, and speeches from the last 20 years, one of the modern giants of that discipline offers his wisdom. Geertz (After the Fact, 1994) opens with a brief professional autobiography, which for him began with his arrival at Antioch as one of the GI generation. He then passed through Harvard's short-lived but seminal Soc Rel program, doing important fieldwork in Java and Morocco, and finally arrived at Princeton's Institute of Advanced Studies. Along the way, he watched the nominal subject of his discipline alter radically: the few `primitive` cultures still on Earth are busy acquiring transistor radios, and even the notion of `culture` is now open to question. At the same time, anthropology must face ethical questions on the nature of fieldwork. Is any honest relationship possible between a college-educated American and a Javanese subsistence farmer, each seeking in some way to exploit the other? How does an anthropologist come to terms with the legacy of colonialism that lies at the roots of his discipline, and to what extent are his studies in conflict with the aspirations of oppressed people to better their lives? In and around these questions Geertz weaves considerations of issues specific to his discipline, notably the roles of behaviorism, structuralism, and other modern philosophical tools in the interpretation of culture. Geertz stoutly resists the impulse to simplify, and the reader who isn't up-to-date on debates within anthropological circles may occasionally find the line of argument hard to follow. But overall, this is a provocative look at the human race (and the study thereof) by a man who has seen more of it than most. An occasional muddy patch, but worth wading through for the author's insights. Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.