Human culture couldn t be explained by mechanistic laws. Got him interested in anthropology. Boas spent his life trying to undermine 18th and 19th century ideas of determinism. Also did linguistics. Derek Summary of Partridge and Eddy, Development of Applied Anthropology in U.S. Attempt to show difference between abstract and applied.
Difference is function of pop culture.
But say theory is tested in practice, after saying no difference between pure and applied. Various anthropology societies established in 19th century. Boas does salvage anthropology, all data collection. B. never has time to develop theory. Is not really an applied anthropologist.