Week 10

Ancestor Worship/Veneration

Based on the belief that deceased family members have a continued existence, take an interest in the affairs of the world, and possess the ability to influence the fortune of the living. Week 10 Anthropologist observe all forms of religion or belief systems of cultures to understand their ways of life.

Animism

Belief in an animated universe; all things have a soul. (Shinto, many Indigenous belief systems) Week 10 Anthropologist observe all forms of religion or belief systems of cultures to understand their ways of life.

Polytheism

Belief in many gods (Ancient Greek and Roman religions, India, Japan) Week 10 Anthropology observes all the aspects of a culture or societies. Some societies would include Hinduism or Santeria who's religion revolves around one God.

Monotheism

Belief in one God (Christianity, Islam, Judaism) Week 10 Anthropology observes all the aspects of a culture or societies. Some societies would include christians or Muslims who's religion revolves around one God.

Religion

Belief in supernatural forces; a set of formal belief systems affiliated with a set of rituals, institutions, physical space, leaders and practitioners. Week 10 Religion is something many societies revolve around to. This is sometimes their form of government it guides their lifestyle and anthropologists observe how they deal with religion.

Magic

Belief in the power of humans to intervene in lives, to cause fortune and misfortune, illness, injury. Week 10

Principles of magic

Contagious Magic, Sympathetic Magic,Homeopathic Magic Week 10

Magic Forms:

Contagious Magic/Law of Contact- superstitions Sympathetic Magic-taboos Homeopathic Magic-produces like or that of an effect that resembles its cause

Non-theistic religions

Do not believe in a god or gods. Week 10 An example would be Buddhism. They focus on getting on the path of enlightenment. Anthropologists observe Buddhists societies.

Science V Religion:

Science explains how things happen and are based on an observable, reproducible, phenomena, while religion explains why things happen based on supernatural powers of Gods. They both explain causation.

Religious specialists

Shaman, Priest, Rabbi, Imam, Guru Week 10 Each specific religion has a religion specialist, someone who dedicates their life to a belief system

Shamanism:

Shamanism is a range of beliefs and practices that engage with the spirit world. This requires a person that is a specialist to be used as a middleman between the natural world and the spirit world. They have the magic ability of curing illness, controlling weather, interpret dreams, etc

Sympathetic Magic

primitive or magical ritual using objects or actions resembling or symbolically associated with the event or person over which influence is sought. Week 10

Homeopathic magic/Law of similarity

produces like or that of an effect that resembles its cause Week 10

Shamanism

refers to a range of beliefs and practices that engage the spirit world. Requires a specialist--shaman--who is believed to be an intermediary between the natural world and the spirit world and who can possibly cure illness, tell fortune, control weather, interpret dreams, astral project (travel to upper and lower worlds) Week 10 Anthropologist observe all forms of religion or belief systems of cultures to understand their ways of life.

Superstition:

A superstition is a belief that is widely held among people of normally ordinary events/phenomena that foretell of a beneficial or harmful effect on those observing it. This frequently requires an act to ward off the effect. It is a belief or practice that results from fear of the unknown, or trust in magic.

God(s)

An eternally existent spirit that exists apart from space and time. Maybe considered the creator of the world. May be considered all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-loving or also destructive, harmful, and malevolent. Week 10 For some religions, it revolves around the idea of a person, God or many Gods that made up the cosmos.

Ancestor Worship:

Ancestor Worship is to ensure that the ancestor has well-being and a positive disposition towards the living, in order to ask for a special favor.

Why does religion exist?

Humans attempt to understand and at least influence or control through a belief in the supernatural what is otherwise uncontrollable and unexplainable. Week 10 Anthropology studies the customs and characteristics of a culture therefore they must understand their religion

Science

It is a rational interrogation of the natural world, based on empirical observations, testing hypotheses, and reproducing results. Week 10 Important to anthropology because anthropologists study what some cultures believe in and their traits. Science would be one of them. Science explains how things happens

Religious cosmology

Many world religions have origin beliefs that explain the beginnings of the Universe and life. Week 10 Religious cosmology focuses on religion. Many people hold the belief that the world and cosmos was created by a God rather than it being something caused by science. Tries to explain the creation of the world and humanity.

Gods:

Monotheism- belief in one god- Catholicism, Judaism Polytheism- belief in more than one or many gods- Hinduism, Greek and Roman religions

The supernatural

Refers to forces and phenomena which are not observed in nature, and therefore beyond verifiable measurement. Week 10 Many cultures sometimes believe in supernatural occurrences. In Mexico many people believe in Nahuales, people who have the ability to turn into an animal.

Cosmology

The study of the universe in its totality and by extension humanity's place in it. Cosmology can refer to the cosmos, to heaven, or to the world. Week 10 Many cultures have their own belief of how cosmology got to what it is. For some the base it off religions and others rely on science.

Religion:

To have a religion is to believe in supernatural forces; they are formal belief systems that have rituals, institutions, leaders/practitioners. It is a way for people to explain why things happen.

Physical cosmology

the branch of physics and astrophysics that deals with the study of the physical origins of the universe and the nature of the universe on its very largest scale. Week 10 This branch of cosmogoly deals with the physics aspect of it. It focuses on mostly on science. Tries to explain the creation of the world and humanity.