Reddit Reddit reviews The Encultured Brain: An Introduction to Neuroanthropology (The MIT Press)

We found 2 Reddit comments about The Encultured Brain: An Introduction to Neuroanthropology (The MIT Press). Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.

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The Encultured Brain: An Introduction to Neuroanthropology (The MIT Press)
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2 Reddit comments about The Encultured Brain: An Introduction to Neuroanthropology (The MIT Press):

u/anthrowill · 3 pointsr/AskSocialScience

Typically when social scientists use the concept of social construction, we're using it more like the first way you've used it. (Side note: the idea that the structure of the brain is a social construct oversimplifies things. In humans, the brain's structure is affected by the sociocultural world, but not "constructed" per se because the structure of the brain is affected by other things like the environment and a person's genetics. In that sense, the brain is a biocultural construction. As far as the divisions of the brain in anatomical knowledge, calling that a "social construction of the structure of the brain" seems to me to be confusing the map for the territory so to speak. Sure, the knowledge about the brain is socially constructed, but that is different than saying the structure of the brain is so.)

Correct me if I'm wrong, but it seems to me what you're trying to investigate here is a question concerning why social constructs exist--if they're random or purposeful. If so, this is a false dichotomy because they can be both depending on the construct. Names, for example, are arbitrary combinations of sounds that are relative to the languages used by different societies, but names are also purposeful (or "tools" as you say) in that that help organize society and are often indicative of personhood (e.g., some societies don't name babies at birth but wait a while afterwards, cf. "Babies Aren't Persons": A Survey of Delayed Personhood).

As far as gender is concerned, you might check out this comment I made on a question about gender a couple of days ago in this forum if you haven't seen it already.

The most cogent and useful discussion of social constructionism I've personally come across and find convincing is by the social philosopher Ian Hacking, especially his article "Making Up People" and his book The Social Construction of What?. Hope these are helpful!