ANTH 1103 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Anthropomorphism, Vision Quest, Edward Burnett Tylor
23 Feb 2017
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To refer to the concept of spiritual power, a his definition of religion kind of supernatural electricity . Tylor (1871) provided one of the first anthropological definitions of religion: A belief in supernatural beings such as the soul, ghosts, spirits, and gods . Marett (1909) criticized tylor for excluding the belief in formless supernatural powers in. Mana is tied to the concept of taboo. A set of beliefs and patterned behaviours concerned with supernatural beings and forces. Includes: (1) belief in the supernatural (that which transcends the natural or observable world) (2) symbolic expression of feelings (3) rituals preformed both individually and in groups for the purpose of positively influencing the supernatural powers. A ritual is a behaviour, often preformed in a repetitive and stereotyped way, that expresses people"s anxieties by acting them out. Religion functions for both the individual and society as a whole. Social functions: (1) social control (2) conflict resolution (3) intensifying group solidarity.
