The Resilience of Nature-Nurture Dispute : Nominalism and anti-Nativism in the Cultural Anthropology of Daniel Everett and Its Tentative Implications for Theology
Abstrakt
In this chapter, the author delves into the ongoing nature-nurture dispute by engaging the tenets of one of the currently most innovative cultural anthropologies as proposed by the United States of America (USA) cultural linguist Daniel Everett. Above all, the author intends to shed light on the nominalist streak of Everett's anthropology, which has transposed into a strong anti-nativist tendency.
Drawing on his sojourn of many years with an Amazonian tribe of the Pirahã, Everett questions some of the generally accepted, well-entrenched linguistic and cultural theories of modern days. Of special note is Everett's denial of the existence of any manifestable form of religion or spirituality among the Pirahãs, which contradicts the assumption of a natural religious disposition inherent to human beings.
The author contrasts Everett's claims with the upsurge of nativism rekindled by the co-operation among the academic disciplines of religious studies, neuroscience, cognitive science and psychology during the past 20 years. In addition, the author critically engages a strong nativist current in Reformed epistemology from its inception up to contemporary times.
In the author's view, the cultural anthropology of Everett, emphasising the decisive role of culturing in human ontogeny, may well fall on receptive ears in postliberal theology.