Quiz #1 ( open book) Student's name __________________________________
1. What is anthropology ? What are its four fields or sub-disciplines and what do they do ? What is the anthropological concept of culture ?
Anthropology is the study, nay profound understanding' of human societies and Individuals, in all places and times, systematically and objectively, that is scientifically; especially biologically. There is but one science the science of history. Anthropology is human natural history.
Anthropology has discoveed that Culture is a unique human capacity.
Culture is not passed on in the genes.
Culture is a form of natural soul, as opposed to supernatural soul. Culture allows transcendence of the death barrier between distant generation of the species. The death barrier all Individuals face. Culture is "supernatural" in giving some overcoming of that natural limit.: natural soul.
2. What is biological evolution ? What is Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection ? What is genetic drift ? Does anthropology offer a natural historical, Darwinian explanation of the origin of the human species ?
Natural selection:
No Individual Bodies, organisms, "survive".. All Individuals are mortal. Some Individuals pass on more genes than others to future generations of the species. Those genes "survive" and are "fit".
3 How might anthropology's explanations of people's beliefs and behavior differ from your personal perspective on the 2 following questions? Where did we humans come from ? Why do we act in certain ways ? How might you challenge anthropology's explanations of people's beliefs and behavior and its answer to the other questions ?
Not graded. You have a right to your beliefs.
Darwinian Anthropology:
All Life is related through a common ancestral species. All humans are the same species and
4. What is the definition of "species" in biology ? What are the unique characteristics of the human species ?
Species intra-breedable group, produce viable, fertile offspring in breeding. Species is group of Individual Bodies of the same type over many generations, living and dead. Human species uniquely has culture and language; science.
5. What is ethno-centrism ? Do you agree with anthropologists' efforts to teach people to be less ethno-centric ? Why or why not ?
We are all human species-beings. We are all family. We have different cultures.
6 Scientific fact and theory ( itself a belief system) can challenge other belief systems. Is it possible for scientific models of human evolution and religious stories of creation to coexist ? Why or why not ?