On women and jaguars: Why perspectivism got it so wrong

Name: On women and jaguars: Why perspectivism got it so wrong
Start: 2025-03-11T18:30:00+00:00
End: 2025-03-11T20:15:00+00:00
Location: UCL Anthropology

Schedule

Tue Mar 11 2025 at 06:30 pm to 08:15 pm

UTC+00:00

Location

UCL Anthropology | London, EN

Across Amazonia, myths hold that in early times it was the jaguars, parrots, tapirs and other animals who first invented bows and arrows, cooking fire, ceremonial buildings, religious ceremonies and other complex cultural accomplishments. Then humans stole these things from the animals, elevating themselves above all other creatures – but at the cost of losing their former ability to engage in easy conversation with the animal world. This mythic view of our origins is the reverse of the Darwinian narrative which our own culture holds up as science.
In this talk, Chris Knight will introduce a recent trend in social anthropology – known as ‘perspectivism’ – and discuss whether such radically different ways of perceiving our origins and place in nature can be made to converge.
Chris will be speaking LIVE in the Daryll Forde, 2nd Floor of UCL Anthropology Dept, 14 Taviton St, London WC1H 0BW. Come in good time by 6:30pm before doors close please. You can also join on ZOOM ID 384 186 2174 passcode Wawilak