ANT-2 Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Biological Determinism, Homicide, Materialism
Document Summary
Theory that explains human behaviour and ideas mainly as a result of biological features. Genes & hormones that lead to homicide, alcoholism & adolescent stress. Behaviours and ideas that have reproductive advantages more than others are passed on to future generations. Human males better spatial skills than females (advantage in food and mates) Theory that explains human behaviour and ideas as being mainly the results of learning. Evidence that such skills are passed on culturally thru learning not genes. Anthropologists use c. c to explain behaviours of homicide and alcoholism. From child hood experiences and family roles. Most anthropologist support cc than biological determinism: interpretive anthropology vs. How people use symbols to make sense of the world around the. View culture as contested domain not a given. Favour ethnography rich, complex descriptions from insiders point of view. Communicate complexity and rejects approaches that reductionist. Cows & pork (hindus / jews) marvin harris do.
