people are people
an assumed psychic unity of humans; we are all conscious entities bounded by space (skin) and time (birth and death) with the same capacity to suffer and enjoy
human universals
any cultural trait or institution that is found in all societies or cultures
cultural adaptations
a cultural trait or institution that is found in one/some societies or cultures
describe
tell the facts, details
compare/comparative approach
compares different social and cultural phenomena between cultures or societies
explicating human processes
make clear, removing obscurity, unpacking, and unfolding the process of being human; the pieces connect, but how? what is the function?
the normal
always shifting
anthropologists are constantly rediscovering "the normal
scientifically
explains how anthropology goes about describing, comparing, and explicating; explication of the epistemology and methodology of anthropology
epistemology
how we know what we think we know; how do you know what you know? what evidence do you need for proof?
empirical data
not necessarily true or false, measurable, repeatable; (1) Data based on sensory experiences or observations; (2) Empirically based statements can be refuted (if they are false); ex: my house is painted yellow; prof. is shorter than me
nonempirical data
ex: elves may be found somewhere, pepperoni is the best kind of pizza, God created the world, life is the result of evolutionary forces
validity
data gathered is applicable to the research problem; we measure what we think we're measuring
reliability
data gathering techniques are repeatable; like data gathering techniques results in like data being gathered
theory
tentative (can change because of data) statements about how data are related
causal relations
cause and effect
the occurrence of the first causes the other
anthropology as a human science
human sciences study human behavior in a systematic way based on observation, and seek to discover laws and theories
human sciences include psychology, economics and anthropology
social facts
the laws, morals, values, religious beliefs, customs, fashions, rituals, and all of the cultural rules that govern social life
anecdotal data
not a rigorous comparison -> incomplete -> only supports one's position while ignoring conflicting data; empirical data can be anecdotal; anecdotal does not equal false
confirmation bias
only focusing on data that supports one's beliefs and ignoring facts that disprove one's beliefs
perspective
one way of looking at things
cross-cultural perspective: analyzing human social phenomenon by comparing that phenomenon in different cultures
emic
insider
focuses on native (insider) explanations and judgments of significances; ex: illness
etic
outsider
emphasizes observer's narrations rather than natives'; ex: disease
relative
considered in relation to different factors
subjective
based on or influenced by personal feelings, tastes, or opinions
cultural relativism
all functioning cultural systems are inherently equal in humanity and value (contextual); traits and characteristics of each culture's own terms
cultural subjectivism
faulty belief that cultures like individuals are motivated by subjective preferences
advanced" societies
advanced" societies must be judged in reference to a goal
myth of culture progress
cultures are progressively and inevitably evolving into some superior
culture progress in one area may be culture regress in another
making the strange familiar,
making the familiar strange
goal of anthropology
-everyone has culture
-culture affects everyone
-better understand others and self
humanistic
views human problems as being caused by humans and therefore must be solved by humans' focus: the human
holistic
pertaining to the whole of the human condition, past, present, and future; biology, society, language, and culture
ethnocentrism
belief that one's customs, behaviors, and attitudes are the correct ones and those who don't share them are inferior/immoral; tendency to view, interpret, and judge other cultures based on the values of one's own culture; default belief of most
participant observation
a research method in which investigators systematically observe people while joining them in their routine activities
the "lesson of the owl
just as every trait of an owl is part of an integrated whole, so too various cultural aspects are all interrelated. Individual aspects must be studied as part of a system, an integrated whole
necks can rotate because they need to be able to see around bec
culture as an integrated whole
Cultures are systems in which all the parts are related to one another. If one part of the culture changes, this necessitates change in all other related parts.
1. Discuss the epistemological principles of cultural anthropology (What does cultural anthropology attempt to do? How does it do what it does?)
epistemology: how we know what we think we know
-how do you know what you know? what evidence do you need for proof
rules of acquiring knowledge: knowledge must be based on empirical data:
(1) data based on sensory experience or observation
-measurable, o
2. Discuss the "lesson of the owl" and its application for approaching cultural variation.
just as every trait of an owl is part of an integrated whole, so too various cultural aspects are all interrelated. Individual aspects must be studied as part of a system, an integrated whole
necks can rotate because they need to be able to see around bec
3. Explicate the historical Nunamiut practice of abandonment/infanticide from a relative (contextual), materialist view. Contrast that view to a subjective view.
contextual, materialistic:
-sub-arctic environment (long, severe winters
-Limited to resources they can find
-Relied on stored food for 8.5 mo.s/year
-Fresh meat available 2 mo.s/year
-Limited food availability
-Absence of technology to control population