Anthropological puzzle: When does culture affect behavior?
Culture. It has something to do with appreciating art. It’s often cited when people discuss why Americans work long hours. Now some scientists claim that orangutans have culture based on evidence of “socially transmitted behaviors.” In other words, the meaning of culture may seem clear enough when used casually, at a cocktail party, but like a Seurat painting it becomes less distinct upon close examination. And a sure-fire way to provoke an academic bloodbath among a group of anthropologists is to make the definition of culture the focus of a conference. Melissa Brown, assistant professor of anthropological sciences, did just that a couple of weeks ago. Held Jan. 24 and 25 in Encina Hall, “Toward a Scientific Concept of Culture” brought together 24 scholars from across the globe, including some of the world’s most renowned anthropologists and biologists, to try to make sense of this enigma. “Everybody talks about ‘culture’ these days — e.g., grad student culture mentioned in the Daily
