Analysis Of The Blind Men And The Elephant

Perspective is a crucial aspect of anthropology, the study of humankind and the different aspects that affect human nature. There are four main subfields of anthropology that allow anthropologists to analyze different areas of human behavior. These subfields are as follows: biological or physical anthropology, archaeology, cultural or social anthropology, and linguistic anthropology. Each area of study is equally important and is able to be integrated into one idea that looks at the whole picture rather than the individual parts (“What is Anthropology?”). This idea of looking at the complete picture rather than just the smaller “constituents” is a holistic approach to anthropology (Peters-Golden 17). A variety of elements can affect a person’s

Each man had a different idea of what an elephant is like based off of what they had heard and gathered from discussions between other villagers and travelers. Having heard varying discussions, all of the men had their own perception of the characteristics of an elephant. When the six men were finally taken to experience a real elephant, these preconceived notions of their own imaginations affected their encounter with the elephant. The men could only feel what they believed to be true regarding the animal. Their individual expectations obstructed their abilities to discover the truth. For example, the third blind man believed the elephant to be dangerous and capable of fatally injuring a man with its “terrible horn.” When the third blind man touched the elephant, he felt its tusks and said “‘I was right,’ he decided. ‘This creature is as sharp and deadly as a spear,”’(qtd. in Blubaugh). Because the third blind man imagined the elephant to be dangerous, when he actually encountered the animal his previous perceptions caused him to be biased

The idea of using an holistic approach in Anthropology is not only demonstrated throughout these works, but the downfalls of failing to use holism is shown as well. When discussing perspective, the standpoint of the individual and the relationship he or she has with the subject or area of study is of vital importance. Any pre-conceived notions one has entering into a study can affect the process and validity of gathering information in the form of facts. In the tale, the men were unable to gather reliable information because they had already made up their minds about what the elephant looked and acted like. Anderson, however, was able to observe from both a participant standpoint and an onlookers point of view when collecting information regarding her various cultures of study. Ones culture provides a frame of reference that places limitations on the way people of varying cultures look at one another (Tversky and Kahneman). If one has only knowledge and experience of their native culture, they will have difficulty comprehending the world around them