Anthropology found its Galileo in Rivers, its Newton in Mauss.

I have never known so much naive conviction allied to greater intellectual poverty.

In the old days, people used to risk their lives in India or in the Americas in order to bring back products which now seem to us to have been of comically little worth, such as brazilwood and pepper, which added a new range of sense experience to a civilization which had never suspected its own insipidity... From these same lands our modern Marco Polos now bring back the moral spices of which our society feels an increasing need as it is conscious of sinking further into boredom, but that this time they take the form of photographs, books, and travelers tales.

Not all poisonous juices are burning or bitter nor is everything which is burning and bitter poisonous.

Anthropology found its Galileo in Rivers, its Newton in Mauss.

I can't help thinking that science would be more appealing if it had no practical use.

Language is a form of human reason, which has its internal logic of which man knows nothing.