Physiology of Action and Material Culture

This article summarizes an investigation on material culture conducted by the working group “Matière à Penser” over the last fifteen years. Its concern was to contrive a suitable tool kit for the anthropological analysis of the way human beings embody specific ensembles of material objects, that differ from society to society and contribute vital elements to their diverse cultures. The tool kit includes a number of notions and theories elaborated in the course of the 20th century from Husserl and Schilder to contemporary brain studies and cognitive sciences. It makes it possible to develop new approaches to politics, religion, and other aspects of social life.