Paradigms, approaches, and theories in contemporary anthropology: a discussion on the article by S. V. Sokolovskiy «Structures of modern anthropological knowledge from the perspective of biological intelligence and artificial intelligence»

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33876/2782-3423/2025-1/29-121

Keywords:

anthropological knowledge, anthropological theories, paradigm, subdiscipline, cognitive anthropology, ethnology, ontological turn, history of anthropology, anthropology of science and technology, STS

Abstract

The publication is a discussion of the article by S.V. Sokolovskiy «Structures of Modern Anthropological Knowledge from the Standpoint of Biological Reason and Artificial Intelligence», as well as his report at the Theoretical Seminar of the IEA RAS, held on March 4, 2025. Sokolovsky’s opening remarks outline the essence of the issues proposed for discussion: the presence of paradigms in modern anthropology and its subdisciplines, the relationship between theory and empiricism in anthropological research, etc. Nine remarks by the discussants discuss certain aspects of the given agenda: traditions of Russian anthropology (M.L. Butovskaya), the presence of paradigms and the discussion of this concept in sociology (B.E. Viner), the prospects of the «taxonomic» approach to the analysis of anthropological knowledge (G.D. Vinokurov), the presence of paradigms in research on the history of anthropology (N.S. Lyubimova), theoretical development of atmosphere studies (A.R. Medvedeva), the state of research in the anthropology of technology (E.V. Popova), the state of exception as a theoretical basis of anthropological research (N.V. Ssorin-­Chaikov), epistemic modes and epistemic cultures (A.A. Filatova), paradigms in ethnoecology (A.N. Yamskov). The publication includes Sokolovskiy’s responses to the discussants.

Author Biographies

  • Sergey Sokolovsky, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology RAS, Center of Anthropoecology

    Chief Researcher, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology RAS, Center of Anthropoecology

  • Marina Butovskaya, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology RAS

    Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology RAS, Center of Cross-­Cultural Psychology and Human Ethology, Head of the Center

  • Boris Wiener, Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology RAS

    Senior Researcher, Sociological Institute of the RAS — Branch of the Federal Center of Theoretical and Applied Sociology RAS

  • Grigory Vinokurov, European University in St. Petersburg

    Faculty of Anthropology, European University in St. Petersburg, Department of History, National Research University Higher School of Economics in St. Petersburg, Master’s Student

  • Nataliia Liubimova, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology RAS

    Junior Researcher, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology RAS, Ethnographic Scientific and Educational Center

  • Arina Medvedeva, Chelyabinsk State University

    Senior Researcher, Department of Media Theory, Chelyabinsk State University

  • Evgeniya Popova, Tomsk State University

    Head of the Department of Anthropology and Ethnology at the National Research, Tomsk State University

  • Nikolai Ssorin-Chaikov, National Research University Higher School of Economics, St. Petersburg

    Associate Professor, National Research University Higher School of Economics, St. Petersburg

  • Asya Filatova, University of Tyumen

    Researcher, TSU School of Advanced Studies; Associate Researcher, Institute of Philosophy RAS

  • Anatoly Yamskov, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology RAS, Center of Anthropoecology

    Leading Researcher, Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology RAS, Center of Anthropoecology

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Published

19.06.2025

Issue

No. 1 (2025): Антропологии/Anthropologies

Section

The Theme of the Issue