ANTHROP 2RP3 Chapter Notes - Chapter 1: Conflict Resolution, Firth, Cultural Relativism
24 Oct 2017
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Reading 1- anthropology and the study of religion. His interpretation recognized that religion plays a symbolic role in myths, ritual and supernatural beings becaue the symbols represent social economic and political behaviours in a culture. Fails- to give an idea f the meaning of the religious traditions within a culture. Lehmann and myers- expand the definition of religion beyond the superhuman and spiritual so that it includes the mysterious, unexplainable and allows a comprehensive view which includes the investigation of magic, sorcery, curses and other activities that hold meaning. Raymond firth- says that religion corresponds to figurative and symbolic language to meet the needs of basic human problems that are involved in mental and physical anxiety and pain. Paul boyer- suggests that humans have religion because it is how our brains are hard wired. It is a collection of inferences emotional responses reason and judgement and so on that develop over eons and bundled together to create human belief.
