Humanities 2210 Midterm
Likely motivation for Paleolithic cave art as per Sayre
"A ritual is a rite habitually practiced by a group, often in religious quasi-religious contexts." "Gateways to the underworld and death...the womb and birth, or as pathways to the world of dreams"
Definition of critical thinking as per assigned reading and lecture; cognitive skills comprising critical thinking
-A method of thinking that emphasizes reflective, open-minded and rational analysis, as well as deliberately, fair-mindedly and open-mindedly examining and evaluating concepts, beliefs, statements of facts, and arguments -4 cognitive skills of Critical thinking: analysis, conceptualization, application, synthesis
Contrast Campbell and Frazer's views of myth
-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.
difference between narrative and analytical writing; components of analytical writing; purpose of a thesis
-Narratives tells a story while analytics give an interpretation of what happened -Thesis: summarizes an argument, provides structure for the argument, and builds topic sentences of the argument -Components of analytical writing: introduction, thesis statement, body paragraphs
Meaning of "culture" as per 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.
the meaning of the Humanities, including the various sub-disciplines within it, and its relationship to liberal arts
-unique approach to examining the world, turns attention to what our experience of being a human being is about and what it should be -the humanities seek to understand the way in which different people throughout history and cultures document the human experience -Sub-disciplines: psychology, english, religion, history, the arts -Humanities is a subcategory of Liberal Arts
three approaches to studying the Humanities, as per Dr. Nall
1. What wisdom comes from looking at history? (History of humanity and culture) 2. How do you become a better human being? (Wisdom and cultivation of humanity) 3. What insight does is have into the social construction of power?
What percentage of the Tsimane people's diet is wild game?
17%
Sayre's understanding of myth
A mode of understanding and explaining the unknown and mysterious 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.
Civilization as per Sayre
A social, economic and political entity distinguished by the ability to express itself through images and written language
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.
Animism and 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.
Campbell's understanding of Myth
Archetypal myths give us a fundamental aspect of ourselves as a species and insight towards concepts which are often suppressed. Myths hold similar themes or events across cultures, suggest a common origin of human values and beliefs.
Characterization of Catalhoyuk as per Sayre
Crowded houses with entryways in the roofs, no windows. Primarily founded upon the trading of obsidian that was mined as Hasan Dag. People were buried in the floors of the houses and were occasionally exhumed and buried elsewhere. Large number of female figurines suggesting a matrilineal society. Art and decoration within the individual dwellings were incorporated as a part of everyday life.
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 and we can't properly participate in democracy this way.
Value of the humanities as per Judith Butler
Gives us a chance to read and critically examine the world from multiple perspectives in order to realize that we all share a world.
Value of the humanities as per Martha Nussbaum
Helps remind us of nourishing our souls, approaching people as equals, and connect to others as if they are deep and complex souls. Also helps us to support a correct democracy.
Jewell's understanding of myth
Helps us interpret the nature of culture, society, and what it means to be human. "Myth is one of the deepest, widest and most important ways that the human race itself creates meaning." It helps us understand history.
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.
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.
Function and value of myth as per Campbell
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.
Value of the Humanities as per David Behling
It helps students to think critically, solve problems, see issues from multiple perspectives. It helps empathy/good morals. Helps us to see that we are the creators of culture.
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
Characterization of Catalhoyuk as per the lecture
Men and women lived equally, no central leader or any government/administrative building. People born in Catalhoyuk didn't live with biological families.
Value of the Humanities as per Mark Edmundson
Provides skills in order to reach the means to an end. Causes engagement in seeking how to understand oneself and how to lead one's life
Likely motivation for Paleolithic cave art as per Dr. Nall
Represent the world around us, depict the images of hunted animals to help improve the hunt, signify spiritual or trance experience of dreams or hallucinations
Limits of science and risk of abandoning myth, according to Campbell
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.
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.
Civilization as per Lerner
The history of civilization describes which humans have distanced themselves from nature by inventing and perfecting culture.
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.
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
Archtype; archetypal myths as per Campbell
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.
three forms of communication
Verbal/Spoken Nonverbal/Gestural Graphic/Written
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.
Dying and Resurrecting as per Campbell
When comparing myths, a universal theme occurs of heroes born to virgins who die and are resurrected.
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 of "culture" as per Stuart Hall
a way in which we make sense of or give meaning to things of one sort or another
Know the meaning and significance of conceptual frameworks as per Karen Warren and Soloman 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
Dr. Nall's 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 thinking default thinking: "common sense" thinking, dogmatic thinking, reactive thinking, egocentric thinking, and ethnocentric thinking
meaning of egocentrism, ethnocentrism, androcentrism
egocentrism: the inability to differentiate between self and others; an inability to understand any other perspective or way of thinking ethnocentrism: evaluation of other cultures according to preconceptions originating in the standards and customs of one's own culture androcentrism: the practice, conscious or otherwise, of placing a masculine point of view at the center of one's world view, culture, and history, thus marginalizing femininity
Barbara Mor and Monica Sjoo's interpretation of the paleolithic descriptions of women as per lecture
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
Era in which homo-sapiens' ascendancy first occured
the paleolithic era (100,000 to 120,000 years ago)
Meaning of "culture" as per Sayre
the values and behaviors shared by a group of people, developed over time, and passed down from one generation to the next
Contributing factors leading to farming/agriculture in Neolithic period
warming temperatures causing receding ice, new technology such as irrigation, edible grasses cultivated, discovery of water in rich places (middle east and asia)
