A meaning holistic (dis)solution of subject–object dualism – its implications for the human sciences

This article presents and analyses a social-practice contextualist version of meaning holism, whose main root lies in American pragmatism. Proposing that beliefs depend on systems of language-use in social practices, which involve communities of people and worldly objects, such meaning holism effect...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inHistory of the human sciences Vol. 31; no. 3; pp. 64 - 82
Main Author Piiroinen, Tero
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published London Sage Publications Ltd 01.07.2018
Subjects
Anthropology
Archaeology
Beliefs
Dualism
Enlightenment
Holism
Holistic approach
Language attitudes
Language usage
Meaning
Pragmatism
Social sciences
Social systems
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Summary:This article presents and analyses a social-practice contextualist version of meaning holism, whose main root lies in American pragmatism. Proposing that beliefs depend on systems of language-use in social practices, which involve communities of people and worldly objects, such meaning holism effectively breaks down the Enlightenment tradition’s philosophical subject–object dualism (and scepticism). It also opens the human mind up for empirical research – in a ‘sociologizing’, ‘anthropologizing’ and ‘historicizing’ vein. The article discusses the implications of this approach for the human sciences, for instance certain parallel developments in anthropology and archaeology.
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ISSN:0952-6951
1461-720X
DOI:10.1177/0952695117752015