Chapter 1. The Anthropological Perspective On The Human Condition

Front 1

Dualism

Back 1

the belief that human nature/reality is made up of 2 equal yet different forces

Front 2

Binary Opposition

Back 2

Refers to the pair of opposite forces; used as an organizing principle

Front 3

Idealism

Back 3

the true nature of human beings is spiritual and the body inhibits the full development of mind/spirit; pure, incorruptible ideas created by the mind creates the essence of human nature

Front 4

Materialism

Back 4

The essence of human nature is physicality (performance of our physical body) where bodily values are more important than spiritual values

Front 5

Determinism

Back 5

A force, or a few simple forces, that triggers complex events

Front 6

Essence

Back 6

Unchanging core of attributes, makes them what they are

Front 7

Holism

Back 7

The belief regarding the human condition where the mind and body, individual and society, and individual and environment, merge together as well as possibly define one another

Front 8

Culture

Back 8

Learned behaviours and ideas that individuals gain as members of society

Front 9

Co-evolution

Back 9

Relations between biological processes and symbolic cultural processes; both contribute to great importance to the environment where the other must adapt

Front 10

Anthropology

Back 10

Study of human nature, human society and human history

Front 11

Linguistic Anthropology

Back 11

Study of human langauges

Front 12

Cultural Anthropology

Back 12

Study of the variation in beliefs and behaviours which are fashioned by culture and learned by other members of groups

Front 13

Informants

Back 13

In a culture, these people work alongside with anthropologist and share insights about local ways of life

Front 14

Ethnography

Back 14

Recorded description of a culture

Front 15

Ethnology

Back 15

Comparative study of 2 or more cultures

Front 16

Applied Anthropology

Back 16

Using info. from other anthropological specialities to find q solution to practical problems within/between cultures

Front 17

Biocultural Organisms

Back 17

The defining features of an organism are influenced by biological and cultural factors

Front 18

Symbol

Back 18

Representation for something else

Front 19

Habitus

Back 19

In habitual behaviour, it is the everyday/routine social activity

Front 20

Cultural Pattern

Back 20

A behaviour or idea that members of a society pass on to one another through generations; it is recognized by all members

Front 21

Anthropological perspective

Back 21

addressing that the human condition is holistic, comparative and evolutionary

Front 22

Ethnocentrism

Back 22

One's opinion regarding their own way of life is the most natural/correct/fully human way of life

Front 23

Cultural Relativism

Back 23

"Understanding another culture in its own terms sympathetically enough so that the culture appears to be a coherent and meaningful design for living"

Front 24

Metanarative

Back 24

A grand-scale story/theme all members of culture recognize easily; drives ideas and actions within a culture

Front 25

Human Agency

Back 25

A human's ability to show some degree of control over their life

Front 26

Comparative

Back 26

One of the traits defining anthropological perspective; takes into account both similarities/differences in wrangle of human societies before attempting to generalize human nature/society/history

Front 27

Biological Evolution

Back 27

Change in DNA/RNA (genetic makeup) due to a mutation in a population passed through multiple generations

Front 28

Cultural Evolution

Back 28

The evolution of beliefs and behaviours integrated into human development through teaching and learning

Front 29

Evolutionary

Back 29

One of the traits defining anthropological perspective; observations on human nature/society/history must be flexible and takes into consideration change over time

Front 30

Biological Anthropology

Back 30

Looks at humans as organisms, analyzes what characteristics separates and unites us with other living things

Front 31

Primatology

Back 31

Study of non-human primates, the closest relatives of humans

Front 32

Paleoanthropology

Back 32

Study of fossilized remains of the earliest ancestors of humans

Front 33

Archaeology

Back 33

Study of human past through material remains from earlier human societies