ANTH 1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Franz Boas, Baffin Island, Human Evolution

• School: Irvine Valley College
• Department: Anthropology
• Course: ANTH 1
• Professor: Clifford

Document Summary

Anthropology= greek roots > anthropos= human logos=study or science. Study of past and present biological and cultural variation within the human species. Holistic examines part-whole relationships; biology and culture are inseparable: biocultural adaptation. Comparative compares patterns of biological variation across populations; uncovers similarities and differences in human variation: Evolutionary considers change over time in biology and culture; human evolution is biological and cultural: biocultural adaptation. Relativistic promotes cultural relativism > understanding other cultures without judging them; looking at cultures in their own context; avoids ethnocentrism (the belief that one"s own cultural values are superior. Franz boaz (1858-1942)-- father of american anthropology; jewish immigrant from germany; ph. d. in physics; post-doctoral work with inuit of baffin island; promoted four-field approach. Took cranial measurements of 18,000 immigrant families: brain size is not a stable consequence of ancestry: influence of nutrition and stress. Human universals are consequence of: similar historical circumstances, trade, diffusion from other groups, biology does not determine culture!