MetaChat REGISTER   ||   LOGIN   ||   IMAGES ARE OFF   ||   RECENT COMMENTS




artphoto by splunge
artphoto by TheophileEscargot
artphoto by Kronos_to_Earth
artphoto by ethylene

Home

About

Search

Archives

Mecha Wiki

Metachat Eye

Emcee

IRC Channels

IRC FAQ


 RSS


Comment Feed:

RSS

10 October 2008

AskMecha: Academic disciplines dealing with alien anthropology Ok, this is bizarre, but I could swear I've seen an academic discipline that deals with the anthropology of alien cultures--what "people" from other planets might be like. Xeno-anthropology? [More:]
Did I just read this in a science fiction novel and now it's become a false memory?
Ah, Extraterrestrial anthropology is getting some hits.
posted by craniac 10 October | 14:43
Exobiology or xenology?
posted by TheophileEscargot 10 October | 15:23
An actual academic discipline? Uh, what do they study?

I can imagine it discussed in sf-type circles as a hobby and given a fancy name, but outside of extracurricular courses, I can't imagine teaching anyone anything about it. Beyond broad and horribly sample-biased assumptions, that is.

* The Drake equation is academically interesting, at least in terms of examining one's assumptions
* Exobiology is a term originated by Carl Sagan; astrobiology is something actually practiced by NASA scientists
posted by stilicho 10 October | 15:47
I bet you're thinking of Speaker for the Dead.
posted by ROU Xenophobe 10 October | 17:19
sad... || Click this and you will get rick rolled

HOME  ||   REGISTER  ||   LOGIN