AN100 Lecture Notes - Lecture 5: Forensic Anthropology, Human Evolution, Coevolution
9/12/2014 6:20:00 PM
Lecture Notes, September 10th
What is Anthropology?
Study of humankind in all times (temporal) and places (spatial).
Portrayals of the endless cultural variations humans are capable of
manifesting.
“aims to describe, in the broadest possible way what it means to be human”
(p.5)
“science of culture seen from the outside” ( Levi Strauss)
Study of Differences and Similarities in human.
Cultural Possibilities- Problems of Reductionism- 2 Things
Differences-
Ethnocentrism, denial of humanity
The superiority and correctness of ones own way of life, racism
The save slot
Similarity-
Naïve Realism, global culture
Everyone perceives the world the same.
Look at figure 1.2 – the human condition/nature
The theories of human nature
Orientation to human nature-
Dualism- human nature has two parts; rooted in western though since Plato
Idealism: reduces human nature to ideas or mind that produces them
(reductionist)
Materialism: reduces human nature to genes (biology) or material forces
(environment, history, material production) Reductionist.
Holism Interconnections bet. Ideas & material forces.
The Anthropological Perspective-
Holistic/holism
Cultures to be studies in the broadest possible way, interconnections
between parts.
Human life is greater than the sum of its parts
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Assumes that mind and body, person and society, humans and their
environment interpenetrate and define one another.
Co-evolution
Comparative- Views Humans across time and space (comparative method).
• Product of ethnographic (generalizations based on comparative material)
• “unfamiliar” to “familiar”
• Diversity of human possibilities, lifeway’s
Not culture bound- use ones cultural lenses.
Evolutionairy: Includes the view of co-evolution, relationship between
biological and symbolic processes, produces change over time.
• Enabled by ‘fieldwork’ method’ (study of communities on the
ground, participant observation
• Look at figure 1.4 in book.
General Anthropology- Sub Fields
Sociocultural- focus on contemporary societies, western and non-
western
• Humans in their social and cultural settings
• Focus on learned ideas and behaviors acquired as members of
societies.
• Ethnology: comparative study of cultures *ethnologist
• Ethnohistory: study of cultures using written documents *ethno-
historian.
• Ethnography: written product of field research * Ethnographer
•
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Sub Fields of Anthropology 9/12/2014 6:20:00 PM
Biological- Study of humans as living organism; had racial connotations in
early anthropology.
Paleoanthropology- study of human biological evolution, using fossilized
remains, early ancestor.
Primatology- biological and social nature of our primate ancestors.
Forensic- study of skeletal remains for legal purposes.
Archaeology- study of material remains and the material aspects of past
cultures.
Also of contemporary cultures; basis of national pride, national identity.
Pre-Historic archaeology- ancient cultures without written records.
Historic archaeology- with written records.
Linguistics- study of language, its evolution and transmission, linguistic
subcultures, impacts of sociocultural variables in speech.
Applied Antrhopology: the application of anthropological knowledge to real
life situation.
• Solving human problems
• Forensic anthropology
• Interventions require understanding of culture
• Applicable to all sub fields.
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find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Study of humankind in all times (temporal) and places (spatial). Portrayals of the endless cultural variations humans are capable of manifesting. Aims to describe, in the broadest possible way what it means to be human (p. 5) Science of culture seen from the outside ( levi strauss) The superiority and correctness of ones own way of life, racism. Look at figure 1. 2 the human condition/nature. Dualism- human nature has two parts; rooted in western though since plato. Idealism: reduces human nature to ideas or mind that produces them (reductionist) Materialism: reduces human nature to genes (biology) or material forces (environment, history, material production) reductionist. Cultures to be studies in the broadest possible way, interconnections between parts. Human life is greater than the sum of its parts. Assumes that mind and body, person and society, humans and their environment interpenetrate and define one another.
