African History, Anthropology, and the Rationality of Natives

摘要: The following exploration of social scientific thought as applied to Africa is an exercise in ethnography, not debunking. At one level the argument, referring mainly change western Zaire last hundred years, offers a descriptive interpretation which I assert better than others. another seek establish what kind phenomenon, ethnographic sense, historiography really is. this level, apply methods science body work “social science” is, fact, myth, and itself deals, part, with “myth” science.In “African Traditional Thought Western Science,” Robin Horton first shows ways like second producing model-building explanatory schemes, then argues that difference between two essentially “in traditional cultures there no developed awareness alternatives established theoretical tenets; whereas scientifically oriented cultures, such highly ” He elaborates “the open closed predicaments” terms factors unreflective versus reflective thinking, mixed segregated motives, absence presence experimental method; these he finds superior power “most well-worn dichotomies used conceptualize tradition religious thought. Intellectual emotional; rational mystical; reality-oriented fantasy-oriented …”Only occasionally does refer science, however; seems assimilate it natural science.