HUM 2210 Midterm
Ethnocentrism
(Cultural) group-centered thinking • Sociocentrism • A way of thinking that unthinkingly privileges the perspective of a particular ethnic group; - Treats one cultural group's point-of-view (their values, interests, concerns) as the normal, default, or commonsensical way of thinking - Influenced by background beliefs that take for granted what is important or normal
Purpose of a thesis
-A true thesis summarizes your argument -A thesis statement, if fully formatted, should summarize your paper's argument -a thesis statement should operate as a guide to your paper and argument A thesis IS NOT a Statement of what the paper is about, or what the main idea is
The meaning of the Humanities
-inherently interdisciplinary, a holistic field of study facilitating the critical and creative examination of the fundamental experiences, creations, and beliefs that have and, in many cases, continue to shape contemporary human cultures and worldviews -academic disciplines that seek to understand and interpret human experience, from individuals to entire cultures, engaging in the discovery, preservation, and communication of the past and present record to enable a deeper understanding. extend our experiences. -broaden our perspective, deepen our understanding, stimulate our imagination, reward our study, and satisfy our longings. They amaze and astonish. They counsel and console. They enlarge and enrich our lives through making us, finally, more fully and more deeply human" (Benton and DiYanni
Cognitive skills comprising critical thinking
1. Analysis - Examining how ideas or experiences are used or applied to support other ideas or conclusions; examining reasoning or relationship between ideas; asking appropriate questions, seeking clarification 2. Conceptualization - Determining how to define or think of a given ideas or concept 3. Application - Deciding when and how to apply relevant concepts or experiences to improve understanding 4. Synthesis - Fitting ideas and whole arguments together with other ideas and arguments
Likely motivation for Paleolithic cave art
1. Represent the world around us - But prehistoric art concentrated on animals 2. Images of hunted animals, perhaps to improve the hunt - But many of the bones found at key sites are of different animals than those painted (Altamira painted oxen but found deer bones) - Paintings occur in some hard to reach places 3. Signified spiritual or trance experience - Archaeologist David Lewis-Williams contends that the paintings have spiritual meaning and may have resulted from trance like states - Sensory deprivation induced hallucination and abstract shapes Sayre Likely served as space for practice of rituals - "A ritual is a rite or ceremony habitually practiced by a group, often in a religious or quasi-religious contexts." • Potentially stood for or symbolized - "gateways to the underworld and death...the womb and birth, or as pathways to the world of dreams....." (Sayer 3)
Four Approaches to studying the Humanities
1.History of humanity and culture -Learning about key events, intellectual and artistic movements, and other valuable works in the development of human culture 2.Wisdom and cultivation of humanity -Examining the "great" creative and intellectual works to develop deeper insights into how we have come to believe and be as we presently are, as above, but also to use these works to nourish our humanity and grow wiser 3.Social Construction of Power -Critically examining the influence revered trends, movements, creative and intellectual works have shaped contemporary culture and its power relations 4.Collaborators in Creating Culture -Studying culture aids us in realizing our role as collaborators in the creation of culture
What percentage of Tsimane people's diet is wild game?
17% of diet is wild game
Definition of critical thinking
A method of thinking that emphasizes reflective, open-minded, and rational analysis • Deliberately, fair-mindedly and open-mindedly examining and evaluating concepts, beliefs, statements of fact, and arguments seeks knowledge rather than mere opinion
Identify and date Venus of Willendorf
Aka "Woman", Found Willendorf, Austria in 1908, Dates to 25,000 to 20,000 BCE, Made from limestone, originally painted in red ochre, Navel is not carved but natural indentation of stone
Cohen's characterization of an open society
An open society is one in which political leaders are not to be idolized and seen as gods among humans. Such a society is anti-authoritarian and has an emphasis on enlightened self-government. An open society "sets free the critical powers of man".
Animism, anthropomorphism, as per Sayre
Animism: Nature is infused with spirits Anthropomorphism: Nature's behavior is similar to human behavior and can be engaged and described through human terms.Attributing distinctly and perhaps uniquely human qualities to non-humans
Value of the humanities as per Mark Edmundson, David Behling, Judith Butler, and Martha Nussbaum
Behling-It helps students think critically, solve problems, see issues from multiple perspectives. It helps empathy/good morals. Help realize we are creators of culture Edmundson- The humanities are about questioning success — and every important social value.learning how to live one's life.All positions are debatable; all values are up for discussion, seeking to understand themselves and how they ought to lead their lives.its about questioning success and every important social value. its learning how to live one's life. true humanities students are exceptional because they have been, and are, engaged in the activity that plato commends -- seeking to understand themselves and how they ought to live their lives. Bulter-Give us a chance to read critically and examine the world from multiple perspectives in order to realize that we all share a world Nussbaum-we are pursuing the possessions that protect, please, and comfort us.... but we seem to be forgetting about the soul, about what it is for thought to open out of the soul and connect person to world in a rich, subtle, and complicated manner; about what it is to approach another person as a soul, rather than as a mere useful instrument or an obstacle to one's own plans; about what it is to talk as someone who has a soul to someone else whom one sees as similarly deep and complex.
Contrast Campbell and Frazer's views of myth
Campbell rejects the idea that function of myth is replaced by scientific knowledge as Frazer contended -Frazer believes that the function of myth, being explaining the world and providing comfort about death, is to be replaced by scientific knowledge. -Campbell says no, you're wrong. Myth is currently and will always hold our society together by providing morality.
Date and features of Paleolithic
Cave paintings and small sculptures - 25,000-20,000 BCE
basic definition of critical thinking and the non-critical "default ways of thinking"
Critical thinking- A method of thinking that emphasizes reflective, open-minded, and rational analysis. Entails deliberately and open-mindedly - examining and evaluating concepts, beliefs, statements of fact, and arguments - reflecting on the reasons by which one arrives at a given determination (about what is true, what should be done etc.) - Employing intellectual activities including conceptualization, application, analysis, and synthesis A method of thinking that emphasizes reflective, open-minded, and rational analysis. Default thinking: - Dogmatic Thinking: my way or the highway ordeal - Reactive Thinking: automatic, "knee-jerk." Offering defense without asking questions. - Conventional or Commonsensical Thinking: thinking that significantly relies on appealing to tradition, popularity and power. - Egocentric Thinking: self-centered thinking - Ethnocentric Thinking: (Cultural) group-centered thinking critical thinking- a method of thinking that emphasizes reflective,open-minded, and rational thinking default thinking: "common sense" thinking, dogmatic thinking, reactive thinking, egocentric thinking, and ethnocentric thinking
Nussbaum and Russell's critique of overemphasis on the means of life at the expense of the ends of life
Economic means are being preferred over human ends, we are losing what it means to be human, we can't properly participate in democracy that way that a meaningful, fulfilling and ultimately joyful existence requires us to recognize the necessity of contemplating ends as we do contemplating means
Date and features of Chauvet cave paintings
Found in cliffs along Ardeche River, southern France • Discovered December 18, 1994 • Dates to aprox. 30,000 BCE • Cave contains footprint of a child and a wolf or dog that appear to have been walking together and thus indicating domestication of the dog • Paint on limestone cave wall Use of differentiated color - red near entrance, black further inside • Potentially purposed to produce distinctive effects on, or communicate distinct ideas to ritual participants • Employs - perspectival drawing: Making two-dimensional surface appear to be three-dimensional - And modeling: shading that gives volume and dimension to image (3)
Three forms of communication
Graphic (written), gestural(nonverbal), spoken (verbal) Oldest systems of fully developed graphic communication emerge 4,000-5,000 years ago - Sumerian cuneiform, - Egyptian hieroglyphs, - Earliest Chinese script
Function and value of myth as per Campbell
Help to maintain moral order, understand one's place in the world, integrate individuals into society, address the concept of death, offer understanding regarding mortality, provide inspiration for aspiration of the individual and society, unify and coordinate the human self in a larger collective, offer guidance regarding the significance of an individual, integrate inner life with consciously experienced life and society. Invents meaning in life and are indispensable. Science can't give us a world view or purpose and it doesn't have 100% truths. Also helps to maintain moral order.
Basic characterization of humans during Paleolithic era and Neolithic era
Humans in these eras were nomads centered around migration of animals and location of wild plants, and possibly transitioning to settlers in the Neolithic era. In paleothic era, Lighter skeletal structure and bigger brain than earlier hominids Basic characterization of humans during Paleolithic era- Paleolithic era considered Old Stone Age. Nomadic population centered around migration of animals and locating wild plants; small groups. Paleolithic people created myths and shared stories explaining origins and phenomena. Basic characterization of humans during Neolithic era-Neolithic era considered New Stone Age. Marks rise of farming culture (agriculture), replacing nomadic, hunting and gathering lifestyles. Agriculture communities centered on large bodies of water, river valleys of the Middle East and Asia which offered a consistent, predictable water source.
What Paleolithic art, specifically the Chauvet drawings, teach us about human uses of art
Humans use art to discern/produce meaning and attempt to shape reality. Decisions to represent the world in naturalistic terms or not were driven by cultural factors, rather than skill. Potentially purposed to produce distinctive effects on, or communicate distinct ideas to ritual participants
Limits of science and risk of abandoning myth, according to Campbell
If we lose myth, we lose what keeps us moral and secure. Myth acts as a form of cohesion between morality and society. Science can't account for the unknown and myths are more about bringing us back to our inward forces that we stray from when we fixate on facts. Myth acts as a form of cohesion between morality and society. Science is limited because it can't offer absolute truths, just a bunch of working hypothesis.
Androcentrism
Male centered; the belief that the male is the norm Male dominated society the practice, concious or otherwise, of placing a masculine point at the center of one's world view, culture, history, thereby culturally marginalizing femininity
Traditionalist's "Man-the-Hunter" argument explaining male supremacy, as per Gerda Lerner
Man-the-hunter: superior in strength, ability, and the experience derives from using tools and weapons, "naturally" protects and defends the more vulnerable female, whose biological equipment destines her for motherhood and nurturance
Difference between narrative and analytical writing and components of analytical writing.
Narrative Writing -tells the reader what is or has happened -tells a story Analytical Writing -critical analysis -offers a purposeful and well-thought out interpretation about what has happened,will happen or is happening. -explaining what you think about what has happened or what you've read -Explaining what you/we should infer from given facts -Offering a purposeful and well-thought out interpretation of a person and/or situation, based on a given philosophy or set of philosophical concepts
Characterization of Catalhoyuk as per Sayre and Ian Hodder (see lecture), date village became permanent
Neolithic Catalhoyuk (Turkey) • Becomes permanent village 7,400 BCE • Flourishes for 1,200 years; up to 3,000 residents • Made of mud brick; Roofs as social spaces • Skulls of ancestors sometimes buried in foundations of new houses Extensive excavation began 1958 Sayre-Crowded houses with entryways in the roofs with no windows Primarily founded upon the trading of obsidian that was mined at Hasan Dag People were buried in the floors of the houses and were occasionally exhumed and buried elsewhere Large number of female figurines - suggests that Çatalhöyük was a matrilineal society Art and decoration within the individual dwellings were incorporated as a part of everyday life lecture-Men and women lived equally, no central leader or any government/administrative building. People born in Catalhoyuk didn't live with biological families.
Barbara Mor and Monica Sjoo's interpretation of the paleolithic depictions of women as per lecture
Reflect Paleolithic people's perception of divinity in femininity Stylized to represent pregnancy and abundance Cult images - the Mother Guardians of the life, death, and rebirth of the people Magic images of the mysterious power of the female to create life out of herself and to sustain it Celebrate female processes of menstruation and childbirth, and their ability as the spontaneous and autonomous creator of life part of the "goddess movement", saying that venuses represent the paleolithic people's representation of divinity in femininity. didn't take into account the male part of intercourse and thought pregnancy was "magic". the capacity for creation, birth, and nourishment of new life was associated with women, nature, and the divine
Sayre, Jewell, and Campbell's understanding of myth
Sayre-A mode of understanding and explaining the mysterious and unknown grounded in experience. Reflection of moral and political belief systems that function to maintain and advance systems which bind the community.A driving force of culture. Jewell-Myth helps us interpret the nature of culture, society, and what is means to be human Jewell says that "myth is one of the deepest, widest, and most important ways that the human race itself creates meaning". It helps us understand history. Campbell-Archetypal myths give us a fundamental aspect of ourselves as a species and insight towards concepts which are often suppressed. Myths often hold similar themes or events across cultures, suggest a common origin of human values and beliefs
Civilization as per Sayre and Lerner
Sayre-A social, economic and political entity distinguished by the ability to express itself through images and written language Lerner-The history of civilization describes the process by which humans have distanced themselves from nature by inventing and perfecting culture Fostered by agriculture • Enables greater productive capacity • Supports and also requires a large population • Requires administrative or governing roles • Warfare has been a central means of acquiring resources
Egocentrism
Self-centered thinking; • Tendency to take our own assumptions and core beliefs for granted when solving problems and evaluating/making sense of ideas • A presumption that one's beliefs and experiences are the necessary measure of all others
Meaning of "culture" as per Stuart Hall, Dr. Nall lecture, and Sayre
Stuart Hall- a way in which we make sense of or give meaning to things of one sort or another Sayre- the values and behaviors shared by a group of people, developed over time, and passed down from one generation to the next Dr. Nall--Our understanding about what something means or what something "signifies" is shaped and often produced by the network of ideas supplied to us through culture -Something's "cultural meaning" is the typical, ordinary or normal way if seeing, interpreting, or understanding it's significance -A social group's shared web of interrelated values, beliefs, customs, and instructions.
Why bell hooks believes conversation is powerful and useful in the classroom, our personal lives, and the public sphere; why hooks believes creative conflict should not be avoided?
Students retain info that has been discussed better, conflict furthers the learning process. The avoidance of conflict can cause people to sensor thoughts and leads to breakdown of conversation.
Interpretations of greater number of female Paleolithic sculptures/figurines as per Sayre
Suggests that women played a central role in Paleolithic culture. Had considerable religious and spiritual influence, may suggest that Paleolithic culture was both matrilineal and matrilocal.
Notable visual features of the Venus of Lespugue, Venus of Willendorf, and Venus of Laussel
Their body shapes are the most notable in these figures. Different from today's beauty standards, they all had protruding bellies, large and sagging breasts, protruding sexual parts, a nondescript face, and tiny feet. Venus of Lespugue-Carved from mammoth tusk ivory, Found in Cave of Rideaux, France, 24,000 BCE Venus of Willendorf-Aka "Woman", Found Willendorf, Austria in 1908, Dates to 25,000 to 20,000 BCE, Made from limestone, originally painted in red ochre, Navel is not carved but natural indentation of stone Venus of Laussel- Found in Dordogne, France in 1911 by Jean-Gaston Lalannea, Dated to 19,000 BCE, Carved into the limestone of a rock shelter and painted in red ochre
Archetype; archetypal myths as per Campbell
There are recurring archetypes or motif throughout myth according to Campbell. Basically there are many virgin giving birth to a person who will die and be resurrected. Spans from Egypt to Greek myths Universal symbolic patterns that can't be broken down into sound or space or their job won't be done; Recurring archetypes throughout myth. Many stories of virgins giving birth to one who will then die and resurrect.
Meaning of cultural studies as per UCF and UNC websites
UCF: an intentionally interdisciplinary course study which allows students to obtain skills in the liberal arts and combine historical, literary, artistic, philosophical, and economic sphere into their study UNC: innovative interdisciplinary fields of research that investigates how culture creates and transforms individual experiences, everyday life, social relations, and power
Contributing factors leading to farming/agriculture in Neolithic period
Use of previously developed knowledge and skills of plants and animals from foraging ancestors Availability of plant and animal species to be pre-adapted for domestication Humans adopt a partially sedentary lifestyle (circa 11,000 years ago) around abundant environments, becoming affluent foragers Overpopulation leads to necessary sedentism Humans were pushed into the demanding lifestyle of farming warming temperatures causing receding ice, new technology such as irrigation, edible grasses cultivated, discovery of water in rich places (middle east and asia) With warming temperatures and receding ice Mesolithic communities developed new technologies including - Bow and arrow, replacing sphere for hunting, - dugout boats for fishing Use of previously developed knowledge and skills related to plants and animals developed by foraging ancestors 2. Need for some animal and plant species to be pre-adapted for farming practices; not every animal and plant species was malleable to the needs of human purposes 3. Humans began to adopt a part-time sedentary lifeway (about 11,000 years ago) around particularly abundant environments, becoming "affluent foragers" 4. As overpopulation in these areas became a problem humans became caught in trap of sedentism (sedentariness) 5. Short of returning to full-fledged hunting-gathering lifeways that may have been lost or undesirable, humans were pushed into the demanding work of farming: fully harnessing and influencing the productivity of species of plants and animals - Paleolithic humans used natural birth control, infanticide, and senilicide to deal with population growth - Agriculture permitted social groups to support more people - But it was also more demanding than affluent foraging, and thus was - Domestication of dogs around 11,000 BCE, - Irrigation techniques, which in turn made it possible to - sustain populations of domesticated goats and cattle, and cultivate edible grasses likely chosen out of necessity not ideal preference
Criticisms of the "Man-the-Hunter" argument
We were in fact the hunted for a long time before the Stone Age, rather than the hunters. Also, women were confined to the job of gathering, which still included hunting small game, since the men felt they were above that. The women as gatherers provided more of the sustenance than men did with hunting. If it were true that male dominance occurred due to their physical superiority in surviving the natural environment that such an argument fails to explain the perpetuation of superiority in an environment defined and shaped by culture.
Dying and resurrecting hero deities, as per Campbell
When comparing myths, a universal theme occurs of heroes born to virgins who die and are resurrected. theme of virgins giving birth to heroes who are killed and resurrected; in Egypt the mythology of the slain and resurrected Osiris; in Mesopotamia, Tammuz; in Syria, Adonis; and in Greece, Dionysos: all of which furnished models to the early Christians for their representations of Christ
Lerner's characterization of the gendered relationships between men and women among many hunter-gatherer groups
Women: must secure the services of a hunter in order to be assumed of a meat supply for her and her children. If a hunt is unsuccessful, women supply the major share of food consumed. Men: The hunter must be assured of a woman who will supply him with subsistence food for the hunt. The product of the hunt is everywhere considered the most valued food, being used for gifts. Such hunting/gathering tribes stress cooperation and live peacefully with the other tribes.
meaning and significance of conceptual frameworks as per Karen Warren (from lecture) and Solomon and Higgins
conceptual frameworks: network of concepts (values, attitudes, and beliefs) that form an interpretive lens through which we see and understand the world Karen Higgins: network of concepts that form an interpretive lens in which we see and understand the world Solomon and Higgins: our life is made up of concepts that we make through interaction with the world, all those concepts come together to make our conceptual framework
Sub-disciplines within it
philosophy, religion, visual art (painting sculpture, architecture, photography, film), performing arts (drama/theater, dance, music), language arts(literature, non-fiction and creative writing, poetry, languages) history
Era in which homo-sapiens' ascendancy first occurred
the paleolithic era (100,000 to 120,000 years ago)
Relationship to Liberal Arts
there common disciplines: humanities, social sciences, anthropology, sociology, psychology, history
