ABSTRACT

Misanthropology: Science, Pseudoscience, and the Study of Humanity introduces students to key concepts in critical thinking across the four core branches of anthropology: cultural, linguistic, biological, and archaeological. It combines a critical analysis of anthropology as a field with current concepts in scientific skepticism.

By deconstructing a range of global case studies in which anthropological research runs aground, the book teaches students to distinguish between legitimate science and pseudoscience. It covers key concepts in critical thinking and rigorous research, such as cognitive biases and logical fallacies, data collection and consensus, probabilistic thinking, as well as political, nationalist, racist biases. Students learn not only how to apply these concepts to anthropological research and fieldwork, but also to their consumption of everyday information.

This book will appeal to anthropology students and will be particularly useful for instructors of introductory anthropology courses, as well as instructors of courses across the humanities and social sciences focused on inculcating critical thinking skills.

chapter 3|21 pages

Ethnology vs. Pseudoethnology

chapter 4|8 pages

Apes and Sign Language

Another “Clever Hans”?

chapter 5|25 pages

Pseudolinguistics

chapter 6|12 pages

Biological Anthropology and Pseudoscience

The Aquatic Ape Hypothesis

chapter 7|23 pages

Pseudoarchaeology and Ancient Aliens

chapter 8|28 pages

Archaeology as the Handmaiden of Ideology

chapter 9|5 pages

Science, Pseudoscience, and Anthropology