Andrew Buskell (Cambridge): Cultures as Species?

Preceded by a pre-talk for graduate students, 1:30PM Benjamin Library

Are cultural groups akin to species? The idea has a long history in evolutionary theory, going back at least to Charles Darwin who noted the similarities between languages and species and how these relate to issues of sophistication and civilization among the many “barbarous nations” (1871/2009, 59-62). In recent decades, the analogy has come to bear increasing weight in empirical and normative theorising, and is now employed in cultural phylogenetics and biocultural diversity conservation (e.g. Mace and Holden 2005; Maffi 2005) as well as in political philosophy (e.g. Kymlicka 1995; Patten 2014). Yet despite its prevalence in these empirical and normative domains, the analogy remains sketchy. Here I flesh out what it would mean to treat cultures as akin to species—particularly as the analogy bears upon the problem of individuating cultures—and begin to sketch out the scenarios and situations in which the analogy loses its grip.

Please let me know if you'd like to come to dinner following the talk.