Biological Analogy, Diffusionism, and Archaeology

Abstract

A "biologiiation" of anthropological theory has recently been proposed by scholars from various subfields of the discipline. One aspect of that phenomenon is Harold K . Schneiderk proposal to rewrite world hisfory as a d$fusionay process based on a biological model. It ti asserted that he fails for several reasons: a misunderstanding of biology, a misunderstanding of archaeology, and a rejection of empiricism, making his theory less testable than standard evolutionary theory. The role of diffwion in culture change is not explained by recourse to faulty analogy and highly selected archaeological data. [biological analogy, diffusionism, archaeological theory, cultural evolution] HAROLD K. SCHNEIDER (1977) asserts that diffusionism rather than independent invention is the best explanation for New World "Neolithic" developments and for other cultural LAURIE GODFREY, assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, received her Ph.D. in anthropology from Harvard University in 1977, specializing in primatology. She taught at SUNY-Binghamton, Hartwick College, and Cornell University. where she was also curator of anthropological collections. Her fieldwork in Madagascar in 1971 on the positional behavior of extant lemurs was supplemented by analysis of the postcranial remains of extinct archaeolemurines. Major interests include primate anatomy. primate evolution, evolutionary theory, scientific method and theory, and geochronology. She is interested in the relationships among morphology. positional behavior, and ecology, and in the use and misuse of multivariate techniques in elucidating such relationships. Her publications range from technical works on extinct lemurs to cwditorship of a volume on New York archaeology and gewhronology. JOHN R. COLE was trained at Columbia University (Ph.D.) and the University of Illinois at Urbana (M.A.). Interests include South American archaeology, cultural materialism and cultural ecology, and anthropological and archaeological theory and history. He is interested in "sciencing" and public perceptions of science-and the growing interest in cults, occultism. and sensationalistic catastrophism, such as that of Erich van Daniken, among American students and the public. He is anthropological consultant to the Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal, a group that tries to promote rational analysis and testing of "unorthodox" claim. His publications range from journal articles on archaeology and anthropological theory and history to magazine and newspaper articles on current events.