The Observation of Savage Peoples (1800)

The Observation of Savage Peoples (1800)

Synopsis

Joseph-Marie Degerando was a revolutionary, French philosopher who transcribed one of the original guidelines for the study of anthropology in the year 1800 titled, I: Societe des Observateurs de l’Homme in French, and translated into English as, The Observations of Savage Peoples. According to the author of the introduction and translator of his work into English, F. C. T. Moore, Degerando’s guidelines were a “capital work of anthropology” (Moore, U of CA Press. p. 2). Whether Degerando provided the most accurate guidelines for the study of humans is argued; however, his work was certainly influential as it served as a foundation for the science of anthropology. In fact, Moore declares there are consistent similarities between the anthropological recommendations of Degerando and those practiced by modern day anthropologists (Moore, U of CA Press. p. 4-5).

Although Degerando’s work is considered one of the earliest influential works serving as a foundation for the field of anthropology, the work was not successful at the time of its publication. Many reasons for its failure are speculated within reviews of the text which offer both criticism and approval. Moore provides an extensive overview of the history of the text in his introduction to The Observations of Savage Peoples, as well as an assessment of its success and failures at the time of its publication. Also, the article, “Disappearing Savages? Thoughts on the Construction of an Anthropological Conundrum” by John W Burton, also offers some criticism of Degerando’s text.

The inspirations of Degerando to write such guidelines in the year 1800 are numerous. At the time of its publication, Degerando was part of a new found society in France in 1799, the Societe des Observateurs de l’Homme. This society was formed in coincidence with increased interest in primitive peoples. We find in Moore’s text, “False Beginnings: early nineteenth century episodes in the human sciences”, an exert describing the intentions and purpose of the society from the journal, Magasin Enyclopédique,

In taking the name Société des observateurs de l’homme, and the ancient motto ‘Gnothi seauton’, Know thyself, the society has devoted itself to the science of man, in his physical, moral and intellectual existence; it has called to its observations the true friends of philosophy and moral reality, the deep metaphysician, the practical doctor, the historian, the traveller, the student of the nature of language, the educationalist. In this way, man, followed and compared in the different scenes of life, will become the subject of research the more useful as it is free from passion, prejudice and excessive systematization.