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22 Cards in this Set
- Front
- Back
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Symbols are defined as |
something that represents something else they can be arbitrary and/or abstract usually relative to cultural context |
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Primary symbolic expression for humans.. |
Art-Palenque(Mayan city)-example the sarcophagus of Lord Pakal |
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Color symbolism |
There are a variety of shades and specific colors that different cultures are aware of and categorize by. Example the Yoruba from Nigeria |
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Yoruba Color categories |
1. FUNFUN-pale, white, silver, gray-ethical and merciful
2. PUPA-bright, red, orange, yellow, etc. Thunder and lightening god. 3. DUDU-Dark, blue, black, brown. Introverted and unstable god |
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Sandpainting is done by both |
Navajo-harmony Buddhists-form of meditation, often a mandala, process is the point not the end goal |
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Buddhist Sandpainting |
Kalachakra Mandala=body,mind, spirit, with gates, innermost pristine consciousness and inner bliss, no gates origin 600 BCE |
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Symbols in Buddhist sand painting |
Yellow-earth-innermost Blue- water silvery- moon, air fire-red http://kalachakranet.org/mandala_kalachakra.html# (lots of info on this page) |
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Types of symbolism |
Art Color time music dance |
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Symbol of time |
Organized, ritual timing is often crucial, may be periodic according to seasons etc |
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Music as symbolism |
Functionalist- helps with memorization and mood control within society Examples- Buddhist throat singing, aboriginal digeridoo, drum circles, singing bowls |
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Dance as symbolism |
Hula Whirling dervishes the Tewa (rain dance) NW coast indians, "Cannibal" dance, banned by Canada- it was a story about improvement of the spirit that was misinterpreted |
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Asmat-Irian Jaya |
Eastern half of New Guinea. Horticulturalist tribe, major source of food the Sago Palm. Pith used to make milk, tree is carved into Bis pole where the spirit of deceased are enticed to reside. (not revered or tended afterwards) if death comes young, it is because of sorcery or battle |
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Asmat Symbolism |
1. Mother- milk from pith of sago 2. headhunter --chopping down sago 3. preying mantis-headhunter |
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Human interaction with the supernatural |
1. it exists 2. it does NOT exist (scientific perspective) |
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Dean Hamer |
biologist, theorized "the god gene" which made people more or less likely to believe. Higher contentment and similar brain energy patterns and genetic signature religiousity=contentment |
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God Nodule |
Temporal lobe. Possibly "connects individual to supernatural" , as in, when this part of the brain is affected, it can change the neurological response to the supernatural |
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Scott Atran |
Evolutionary anthropologist, believed religion=dilemna counterevolutionary qualities-materially expensive, time intensive, emotionally expensive. |
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Atran believed religion was counter-evolutionary because: |
it selects for those who believe a higher amount of counter-factual information |
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Why would nature select for religiousity? |
1. Functionalism- the societal benefits outweigh the costs. (atran does not agree) 2. Indirect Selection: a. Atran believes by-product of higher level human cognition. |
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Cognitive model- Folk mechanics |
interpretation of cause and effect, and of how things work physically. Folk biology- can distinguish individual behaviors Folk psychology-attribution of thoughts and intentions to others (agency detection system, which is selected for) May attribute incorrectly when recognizing random patterns and assigning meaning |
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"fringes of experience" |
able to assign meaning and manage threats, supernatural is an interface of threat detection and explanation of the unexplainable |
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James Dow |
Believed religiousity was directly selected for because it provides societal benefits- and if being a believer is made attractive to non believers, then it spreads- computer simulation experiment |
