The humanities are a broad multidisciplinary field of study where its disciplines aren’t in just one department. Therefore, studying the humanities correlates to the study of anthropology. Simply put, anthropology is the study of humanity and the origins of human beings. Learning about the humanities can help those studying anthropology because the humanities looks into understanding and exploring the human condition. There is an idea of culture that is used to describe what humans do. Anthropology explores what culture is, how it influences society, and why the idea of culture is important. Studying anthropology also looks into the various cultures around the world and the diversity that makes the human race. A basic concern for anthropologists is what defines human life and its origins. How has the evolutionary past of humans influenced the contemporary culture? Reading R. Crumb’s The Book of Genesis (Illustrated) opens doorways for studying anthropology because it looks into the history and beginning of humankind. Studying the humanities relates to the study of anthropology because the graphic novel The Book of Genesis depicts ancient human culture. Crumb’s 2009 graphic novel helps better understand today’s society and comprehend how humans live today.
The study of man and civilization connects with other subjects of education because it involves the reasoning for life today. The real effect of Anthropology is rather to lighten than increase the strain of learning (Tylor preface). When a scholar knows of early history, he knows how humankind arose and is able to take a better hold of himself and his own society. For example, if a paleontologist is studying the theory of the how humanity began, a book that depicts anc...
... middle of paper ...
...here is a better comprehension of today. Studying different historical texts provides insight into features of the past which some anthropologists may first find difficult to comprehend or examine. Humanities deal with society and serve as a basis for studies in other fields, like anthropology. Anthropologists use methods in humanities to better understand society, people, and culture. In order to understand such a complex system of people, a history of culture and humanity must be taken into account.
Works Cited
Crumb, Robert. The Book of Genesis Illustrated by R. Crumb New York: Norton, 2009
Lassiter, Luke E. Invitation to Anthropology. Lanham, MD: AltaMira, 2009. Print.
Linton, Ralph. The Study of Man; An Introduction. New York: D. Appleton-Century, 1936. Print.
Tylor, Edward B. Anthropology. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, 1960. Print.
As I said before, math and science are important, but the humanities are just as important, if not more. “The humanities, done right, are the crucible within which our evolving notions of what it means to be fully human are put to the test; they teach us, incrementally, endlessly, not what to do but how to be” (Slouka). This quote taken from “Dehumanized” defines and truly puts Slouka’s beliefs into the perspective of what the humanities should teach students and how they should be taught, which I agree with fully. I believe that without the humanities, we, as humans, would all be the same and there would be no room to be different from one another. Whether it be by our culture, religion, or interests, not two people are alike. Individuals should not be bred into being something that they do not want to be or even like Slouka argues, students should not be a “capital investment” for the future of the economy. Students should be investing in themselves to express who they truly are, rather than being something that the economy expects them to
Anthropological researchers have considerable moral and ethical standards by which their work must be conducted in order to preserve the accuracy and the posterity of the information gathered during the study and also to the persons or cultures of which they study. These two important parts of anthropology – the research and those being researched – can be conflicting. The Code of Ethics of the American Anthropological Association presents itself as a body of guidelines for discussing these ethical and moral conflicts. This allows for researchers in the field of anthropology to have a foundation for understanding what decisions must be made regarding these ethical and moral conflicts and to whom the disclosures of those decisions should be made.
The lecture provided by Professor Elias Kary on the nineteenth of November merely was a recapitulation and overview of the previous lecture, plus a summarization of the past few weeks of class lecture/material. There was an overview of Applied Anthropology and how “anthropologists have a practical place in solving problems.” (Kary 2015) There was an overview of colonialism; the Maori and Moriori of New Zealand; and the history of anthropology itself. There was a foray into the work of Charles Mann and revisionist history, particularly from the point of view of his book 1491. World systems were discussed at some length and a short overview of the film from previous class session. Then the professor went into the structure and what the class needed to provide for the final paper the next week; class then concluded early on account of the large paper due.
William Haviland, Harald Prins, Dana Walrath, Bunny McBride, Anthropology: The Human Challenge (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Cengage Learning, 2011), 58.
Education in the humanities may bring a better outcome of understanding the process off everything that happens in our society. Students are able to learn more about the past cultures which is very beneficial for them. It does not only give them an idea of how the past was, but rather help’s them analyze what can be useful in their present. Students also have the capability of learning skills that will allow them to succeed in their future careers. All this learning comes from the aspect that humanities shows skills that students will
Going into this Humanities class, I had no idea what I was getting into. I didn’t know what the Humanities were and how it would impact my education at all. I had taken a number of history classes in high school and in college before and expected the Humanities to flow with my history classes in a sense. In my previous history class’s topics such as wars, The Great Depression, assassinations, the settling of different parts of the world, slavery, witch-hunts, and the use of animals were discussed. I thought that the Humanities would fall somewhere on the line with history. I wasn’t wrong with this assumption, but I wasn’t right either. The Humanities, I have learned, is so much more than the history that surrounds what people did, acted like, made as art, ate, and learned. The Humanities made all the different interactions between people clear. People to people, people to land, people to art, people to animals, and many other interactions that people come across. This class opened my mind to everything that art is and can be and to how important is it to learn from the past, grow for...
Lewis Henry Morgan has been credited as being the founder of American cultural anthropology or more broadly as the father of “American Anthropology.” Many anthropologists at the time were called “arm-chair” academics, meaning that they studied anthropology from a distance while sitting in chairs, reading and thinking; Morgan was not an “arm-chair” anthropologist. He went out into the field to learn about other cultures. As noted by Kinton, Jacob Bachofen and John McLennan influenced Morgan (1974:4).
One cannot generalize or predict all human behaviors, thought processes, morals, and customs. Because human nature is dominated by different types of cultures and societies in various parts of the world, this can often lead to misunderstanding which ultimately leads to the illusion of cultural superiority, and in most cases this can lead to genocide - the systematic murder or annihilation of a group of people or culture. Anthropology is the study of humans, our immediate ancestors and their cultural environments this study stems from the science of holism - the study of the human condition. Culture is crucial in determining the state of the human condition, as the cultures are traditions and customs that are learned throughout an individual
... Else, is essential to human existence,” (Gopnick). I agree with Gopnik, because asking why there is value in studying the humanities or pursuing a liberal arts education is like asking why there is value in breathing. History, literature, languages, philosophy, religion, music, anthropology, and art are all essential to understanding why humans are the way we are. If the humanities were not essential to our understanding of other human beings, then why are there so many blog posts, letters, Facebook posts, and Tweets being written in defense of the humanities? It is because we are human. It is essential that we should study the humanities so that we can know ourselves, the past, and the future. Because I value being well-rounded, compassionate, analytical, creative, and balanced, I value the humanities. Because I value the humanities, I take the path less traveled.
Welsch, Robert L, and Kirk M Endicott. “Should Cultural Anthropology Model itself on the Natural Science.” Taking sides clashing views on controversial issues in cultural anthropology. N.p.: n.p., n.d. N. pag. Print.
When an anthropologist does fieldwork there are many advantages and disadvantages. One thing an anthropologist must do in order to gain a rewarding experience during his trip to visit another civilization in figuring out the best was to proceed into the certain field he or she is studying. The anthropologist must at first be somewhat familiar with the culture of the area or civilization. (Culture-The totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought.) They must be somewhat familiar with the language of a particular area as well. If one is very unfamiliar with ...
The Victorian era was a period of prosperity and knowledge, especially in the social sciences. It was the start of both biological and social scientific exploration in places such as Britain, France, and the United Sates. After the introduction of Darwin’s Theory of Evolution it marked beginning of scientific application in the anthropological study. Due to this increase on popularity, the study of anthropology started to interest the minds of the common man, instead of just missionaries, and to show that, Britain started The Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland in 1871. However, this era also created the idea of western superiority between the races. Although the Victorian era helped shape anthropology today, its principles
Boas, F. (1930). Anthropology. In, Seligman, E. R. A. ed., Encyclopaedia of Social Sciences. Macmillan: New York.
Cultural anthropology known as the comparative study of human societies and cultures and their development. Cultural anthropology is also known as the study of human cultures, their beliefs, practices, values, ideas, technologies, economies and other domains of social and cognitive organization. Cultural anthropology studies how human cultures are shaped or shape the world around them and it focus a lot on the differences between every person. Human societies has been culturally involved throughout generations because of human development and advanced. The goal of a cultural anthropology is to teach us about another culture by collecting data about how the world economy and political practices effect the new culture that is being studied. However, cultural anthropology has gave us a understanding of world affairs and world problems, the way to interpret the meaning of social actions by putting them in as much context as possible, and a deeper insight of humankind-at all times, in all places and of yourself as part of a culture.
Cultural anthropology has taught me a lot in such a short time. This class has been very eye opening to me and has made me think more about the different cultures around me and just how important it is to learn about them. One of the things I have learned is how religion is related to culture. Culture is behaviors of a community such as the food they make, the music they listen to, and the rituals they take part in. This can be very similar to religion because a culture is based off of their religious beliefs. Some cultures do not eat pig because it is against their religious beliefs. Some cultures listen to particular songs because it is based off of their religious beliefs. Another thing cultures relate closely to is languages. Without language