Anthropology of Religion 305
Totemism - Answer-A religious as well as a social system. On its religious side it consists of the relations
of mutual respect and consideration between a person and his totem, and on its social side it is
composed of obligations of the members of the clan towards each other and towards other tribes
Sacred --> profane - Answer-When you talk about the sacred it inherently becomes less sacred
Magical Thinking - Answer-believing that one event happens as a result of another without a plausible
link of causation.
Logical progression - Answer-Animism < Polytheism < Monotheism
Life begins, happens, ends
Reflects evolutionary thinking and linearity of our world
Animism - Answer-the attribution of a soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena.
Cross cultural examination: greek, abrahamic, vedic gods. - Answer-All holding something
Gender
Plurality
Colors
Shapes
,Interpretive approach - Answer-If we're all doing the same thing the difference is in interpretation and
preference
Religion according to Geertz - Answer-a system of symbols which acts to establish powerful, pervasive
and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by formulating conceptions of a general order of
existence and clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that the moods and motivations
seem uniquely realistic
Worldview - Answer-the world as we see it. The entire world as a concept.
Changes based on life expectancy.
Ethos - Answer-how you live based on your perception of the world, what it is, and how it works
Anthropology - Answer-the study of humanity including prehistoric origins and contemporary human
diversity
Originally called Holsim
Holism - Answer-The study of how humanity functions as a whole. All natural systems function as wholes
and can be understood through the study of their individual parts and their interrelationships
- physical
- archaeology
- linguistic
- cultural
Biocultural perspective - Answer-related to the anthropological value of holism, is an integration of both
biological anthropology and social/cultural anthropology. Biology holds our most minute differences and
is the most mysterious part of our existence
, Religion is contained in our entire culture - Answer-- language
- city planning
- politics
Holistic approach - Answer-the concept that the human being is multi-dimensional. We have conscious
and unconscious aspects, rational and irrational aspects.
Participant observation - Answer-research that is embedded in the setting over a certain period of time
and oftentimes with direct participation in the daily life of the population under study.
Methodological reductionism - Answer-things are complex, sum of their parts
The Ethnographic Present - Answer-using present tense to talk about things that happened in the past.
Synchronic view/study - Answer-description of a culture for the moment being whether the moment is
past or present.
Zeitgeist - Answer-is the dominant set of ideals and beliefs that motivate the actions of the members of
a society in a particular period in time.
Cultural Relativism - Answer-everything's relative, even culture
Positivism - Answer-is the view that the only authentic knowledge is scientific knowledge, and that such
knowledge can only come from positive affirmation of theories through strict scientific method
Critique of positivism - Answer-things that can be proven scientifically are not more real than others
Totemism - Answer-A religious as well as a social system. On its religious side it consists of the relations
of mutual respect and consideration between a person and his totem, and on its social side it is
composed of obligations of the members of the clan towards each other and towards other tribes
Sacred --> profane - Answer-When you talk about the sacred it inherently becomes less sacred
Magical Thinking - Answer-believing that one event happens as a result of another without a plausible
link of causation.
Logical progression - Answer-Animism < Polytheism < Monotheism
Life begins, happens, ends
Reflects evolutionary thinking and linearity of our world
Animism - Answer-the attribution of a soul to plants, inanimate objects, and natural phenomena.
Cross cultural examination: greek, abrahamic, vedic gods. - Answer-All holding something
Gender
Plurality
Colors
Shapes
,Interpretive approach - Answer-If we're all doing the same thing the difference is in interpretation and
preference
Religion according to Geertz - Answer-a system of symbols which acts to establish powerful, pervasive
and long-lasting moods and motivations in men by formulating conceptions of a general order of
existence and clothing these conceptions with such an aura of factuality that the moods and motivations
seem uniquely realistic
Worldview - Answer-the world as we see it. The entire world as a concept.
Changes based on life expectancy.
Ethos - Answer-how you live based on your perception of the world, what it is, and how it works
Anthropology - Answer-the study of humanity including prehistoric origins and contemporary human
diversity
Originally called Holsim
Holism - Answer-The study of how humanity functions as a whole. All natural systems function as wholes
and can be understood through the study of their individual parts and their interrelationships
- physical
- archaeology
- linguistic
- cultural
Biocultural perspective - Answer-related to the anthropological value of holism, is an integration of both
biological anthropology and social/cultural anthropology. Biology holds our most minute differences and
is the most mysterious part of our existence
, Religion is contained in our entire culture - Answer-- language
- city planning
- politics
Holistic approach - Answer-the concept that the human being is multi-dimensional. We have conscious
and unconscious aspects, rational and irrational aspects.
Participant observation - Answer-research that is embedded in the setting over a certain period of time
and oftentimes with direct participation in the daily life of the population under study.
Methodological reductionism - Answer-things are complex, sum of their parts
The Ethnographic Present - Answer-using present tense to talk about things that happened in the past.
Synchronic view/study - Answer-description of a culture for the moment being whether the moment is
past or present.
Zeitgeist - Answer-is the dominant set of ideals and beliefs that motivate the actions of the members of
a society in a particular period in time.
Cultural Relativism - Answer-everything's relative, even culture
Positivism - Answer-is the view that the only authentic knowledge is scientific knowledge, and that such
knowledge can only come from positive affirmation of theories through strict scientific method
Critique of positivism - Answer-things that can be proven scientifically are not more real than others
