Final answer:
Structural anthropology, drawing on the work of Claude Lévi-Strauss, analyzes the distinction between raw and cooked food as representing nature and culture. Cooked food symbolizes the cultural transformation of natural resources, reflecting binary oppositions that shape societal worldviews.
Step-by-step explanation:
The theory that would analyze the distinction between raw and cooked food as a distinction between the binaries of nature and culture is structural anthropology, particularly the ideas developed by Claude Lévi-Strauss. In his work, he proposed that human cultures universally structure their world through binary oppositions, and these structures are reflected in various cultural institutions, including food customs. In this theory, the transformation of raw food into cooked food is seen as a transition from nature to culture, embodying a symbolic crossing of boundaries that constructs cultural identity.
Under this theory, raw foods might be associated with the natural world and the state of nature, whereas cooked foods have been processed and transformed by cultural practices, such as cooking methods passed down through generations. Through this process of cooking, the food becomes infused with cultural significance and meanings beyond its nutritional value. Hence, understanding the distinction between raw and cooked can provide insights into the broader conceptual frameworks that organize human societies and their worldviews.
This type of inquiry aligns with the biocultural approach emphasized by many anthropologists, which considers the physical nourishment of our bodies as intimately connected with cultural practices and identity creation. Moreover, it complements the work of anthropologists like Mary Douglas, who examined how concepts of purity and danger relate to the cultural meanings of different foods, further illustrating the deep ties between food, culture, and societal structures.