h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

When I read Marvin Harris' quote, I stopped at the word 'objectivity'.
I want to ask 'What do you mean by 'objectivity'? To Marvin Harris 'objectivity' may well mean'seeing the world from the point of view of a Westerner.'

That's the trouble with words. If you believe Wittgenstein, the meaning of a word is its use. So, if I use the word 'objectivity' I might mean something different from Marvin Harris.

I read the first 4 of Casteneda's books in the early 70s when I was a hippy living in Sydney. It never occurred to me to worry about whether what he was writing was "true" or not; they constitute a brilliant exposition of existentialism and phenomenology so that, when I eventually arrived at university to study philosophy, those notions made perfect sense to me to a greater extent than just reading "Roads to Freedom" and "Nausea" would've allowed.

I meant to add that I agree with Minorvogonpoet's concern about Harris's use of objectivity. As a "postmodernist", I frequently find myself arguing both with positivists such as Harris and Christian apologists about their inability to recognise the false dichotomy that they both hold to.

Enactivist notions of cognition provide an answer that dichotomy as this article indicates:

https://www.academia.edu/11843330/Embodied_language_comprehension_requires_an_enactivist_paradigm_of_cognition?email_work_card=view-paper

I share your concern with Marvin Harris. You'd feel that way even more if you read him.

I totally agree with the Shetlanders. If you are going to be on a remote group of islands, people shouldn't get the idea that you are exaggerating the remoteness. I mean, Bergen (Norway) is much closer than London. You know you are far above it all, only thinking outside the box. You wouldn't want to be associated with the likes of Jersey or Guernsey, do you? Those are practically French!

Getting to the second part...

I have heard of Castenada, but never read anything of his. I can relate to the mindset/perspective approach though. (being married to a certified cartographer)

In other words, a lady who knows where her towel is - and also Antwerp.

Maybe the Shetlands deserve a whole map of their own.

Yeah, one with "here be dragons" for good measure

If they have dragons, so much the better for their tourist industry -- also better for the dragons, as they can get a supply of fresh meat.