About the author
Peter Skafish is an anthropologist known for his work introducing continental philosophy and speculative anthropology to English-language readers, including his translation of Eduardo Viveiros de Castro's "Cannibal Metaphysics." In "Rough Metaphysics: The Speculative Thought and Mediumship of Jane Roberts," published by University of Minnesota Press, he turns to the American medium and writer Jane Roberts, best known for the Seth material, arguing for anthropology's engagement with unconventional or "outsider" systems of thought. The book examines Roberts's mediumship as a case study in how anomalous experience can be taken seriously as an object of intellectual inquiry rather than dismissed outright. Skafish's approach is scholarly rather than devotional, situating Roberts within broader debates about metaphysics, thought, and what counts as legitimate knowledge. The book will interest readers coming from academic anthropology and philosophy as much as those already familiar with Roberts's channeled writings.
📖 Where to start with Peter Skafish
💬 What our editors say about Peter Skafish's books
“Skafish presents a compelling defense of Jane Roberts' writings as rigorous philosophical inquiry, challenging academic anthropology to take mediumship seriously. This is an essential text for those willing to engage with complex…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Rough Metaphysics: The Speculative Thought and Mediumship of Jane Roberts
“Skafish presents a robust defense of Jane Roberts’s intellectual legacy, urging academia to take channeled material seriously as a source of philosophical innovation. The analysis is dense and theoretically heavy, requiring…”
Esoterica Books editorial team, Occult literature desk · on Rough Metaphysics: The Speculative Thought and Mediumship of Jane Roberts
