Marshall Sahlins' Enchanted Universe and Modern Reason

This article offers a profound analysis of Marshall Sahlins's thought, challenging the traditional view of culture as merely a superficial adjunct to rigid economic structures. The author explores the concept of an "enchanted universe," in which metapersons and spiritual forces constitute an integral part of social reality. The text explores the dichotomy between immanent and transcendent cultures, pointing to the importance of religious infrastructure in shaping human experience. Of particular interest is the application of these anthropological considerations to the realm of modern business, where concepts such as social license to act and nonhuman systemic persons acquire a new, ontological dimension. This critical perspective on the dualism of nature and culture allows for a better understanding of the limitations of modern reason in the face of global challenges and the relational nature of being.