Anthropology
Anthropology is the study of a group of people from the perspective of a visiting outsider. From this perspective a deeper anthropology is found in seeking acceptance by the group, and discovering the barriers found inside human culture as well as the splendid joys of diversity. This is where anthropology joins up with philosophy.
To study anthropology more deeply is to include yourself in the larger set, as subject.
The promise of anthropology is that one may come to understand humanity objectively and therefore prove a fundamental intuition that makes anthropology possible, that curiosity driven by love is our greatest super power.
The danger of anthropology is evidenced all around us. Anthropology can be done consciously. But, all human beings do anthropology in more instinctive ways. This is a sub-set, a deeper abstraction contained within anthropology that connects it to history. And history gives us the circular bond back to philosophy.
What I have concluded thus far, from my study, is that one cannot be an anthropologist without a decent cosmology. And, that is why there are not very many conscious anthropologists.
*it is a ridiculous aside but the image I used was copied from a national geographic. I’m not using it as my own image. I am using it as a meditation for my words. There is no violation of use. The fact that copyright is so poorly understood and exploited in my species is a great embarrassment to me. That is one of the consequences of giving yourself an outsider status. All labels come with this danger. But, the danger of giving ourselves back to the singular human label is that it connects us with the mother nature. I believe we can balance both sides of nature, and all the coming facets.