12th February 2007, 07:01 PM
Brilliant! I'll give a pint to someone who can come up with a decent and evocative name for a our new paradigm! 
Have you got a reference for that Bradley piece? I remember someone mentioning his project last summer but haven't got round to looking it up.
I think I agree mostly with that, although, I would like to see greater signs of movement the other way - universities to commercial - or at least greater discourse. I can see it happening in some places but its no-where near convincing at the moment and those who are engaging in it appear to be the exception to the rule. If its a one-way infiltration we're going to be having this discussion for a long time.
YET, I get the impression that most or many academic archaeologists have adopted a position critical of both processual and post-processual viewpoints (whilst accepting some aspects), and so surely have made a shift of sorts. Maybe that's just from where I'm sitting though. I remember someone suggesting that perhaps we should decapitate the upper echelons of the old guard (getting really revolutionary now)in academic institutions and perhaps we may encourage a greater degree of debate without having to worry about a bunch of dusty old timers covering their ar**s, and guarding their pensions.
I would hasten to add that that is not my opinion, but if it happened it would be interesting to see how it affects the mix! One thing that really annoys me is that, whilst there is continual complaint that universities are producing a stream of graduates who are only worthy of trowel fodder status on site (not my words) - initially at least, I don't think the majority have a clue about what we're talking about hear, either. Post-processualism to some appears to be an excuse to get the dictionary out and then look confused when they can't find a definition.
And another point, maybe what we're seeing is not in fact subject to the concept of paradigms at all. Ever thought of that? Maybe Kuhn got it right as an observation, but scientific philosophers and others have managed to create a self-fulfilling and somewhat circular prophesy. Oh dear, I appear to be in the ivory elevator, rising rapidly!
p.s. i've heard it mentioned a few times by people in conversation. The only person I can remember coming out with it definitively is Tim Taylor, though. I like it as a descriptor, but perhaps it is more representative of a theoretical reactionism....or maybe I need a ciggy break and a double strength coffee!
Have you got a reference for that Bradley piece? I remember someone mentioning his project last summer but haven't got round to looking it up.
I think I agree mostly with that, although, I would like to see greater signs of movement the other way - universities to commercial - or at least greater discourse. I can see it happening in some places but its no-where near convincing at the moment and those who are engaging in it appear to be the exception to the rule. If its a one-way infiltration we're going to be having this discussion for a long time.
YET, I get the impression that most or many academic archaeologists have adopted a position critical of both processual and post-processual viewpoints (whilst accepting some aspects), and so surely have made a shift of sorts. Maybe that's just from where I'm sitting though. I remember someone suggesting that perhaps we should decapitate the upper echelons of the old guard (getting really revolutionary now)in academic institutions and perhaps we may encourage a greater degree of debate without having to worry about a bunch of dusty old timers covering their ar**s, and guarding their pensions.
I would hasten to add that that is not my opinion, but if it happened it would be interesting to see how it affects the mix
! One thing that really annoys me is that, whilst there is continual complaint that universities are producing a stream of graduates who are only worthy of trowel fodder status on site (not my words) - initially at least, I don't think the majority have a clue about what we're talking about hear, either. Post-processualism to some appears to be an excuse to get the dictionary out and then look confused when they can't find a definition.And another point, maybe what we're seeing is not in fact subject to the concept of paradigms at all. Ever thought of that? Maybe Kuhn got it right as an observation, but scientific philosophers and others have managed to create a self-fulfilling and somewhat circular prophesy. Oh dear, I appear to be in the ivory elevator, rising rapidly!
p.s. i've heard it mentioned a few times by people in conversation. The only person I can remember coming out with it definitively is Tim Taylor, though. I like it as a descriptor, but perhaps it is more representative of a theoretical reactionism....or maybe I need a ciggy break and a double strength coffee!