Anthropology the study of humans both past and present is an interesting subject. To
comprehend the full sweep and complexity of different cultures throughout human history, anthropologists have to build on the knowledge of social and biological sciences. What this means is that they have to understand different concepts such as culture, society and community and the interrelationship there is between these three elements if any.
American Anthropological Association explains that there seem some sort of dramatic changes in the smug-self-image. The reason is centered on the fact that astronomies held different views regarding the universe as compared to anthropology. Astronomies views are that human beings are not different from other species. According to archeology, human history has continued to evolve over generations. There has been the discovery of better ways to enhance life such as agriculture. Unfortunately, such views have been countered and the notion has been that agriculture was merely a way out of a catastrophe and that in essence, human beings have been the center of the universe and that there are other billions of heavenly bodies with the earth being a part of this. The concept is duplicated in biology where humans learn that they are not special being created by God but never recovered. American Association of Physical Anthropologists explains that agriculture brought with it social evils and sexual inequality. Things like diseases that were not there and despotism were some of the domino effects of agriculture.
Besides this, anthropologists are concerned about the application of knowledge on human problems and the solution related to this. There are four main dimensions that anthropologists have to dive into and they include sociocultural, biological/physical, archeology and linguistic anthropology. Each of the four areas is key in understanding the different cultures, the societal concept as well as what forms a community.
Physical anthropology, for example, is about the adaptations, variability as well as the evolution of the human kind. It deals with the living of human beings and their fossil relatives (New York Public Radio Popup). Thus in the study of physical anthropology human culture and behavior plays a critical role in social science.
Cultures are formed through a reworking of traditions. On the other hand, it is individuals who tend to determine what type of culture is to be practiced within a certain community. For example, communities or rather different cultural grouped in the United States tend to have different values as compared to those from the Caribbean or Europe. Why this is so can be explained by reworking tradition also known as agency which unfortunately tends to be limited by the social position of the individuals. For example, the definition of the ghost in one society may be different from that of another. There are those who describe ghosts based on their physical attributes. That is things to do with their invisibility, their power and the like. There are stories that have been formed consequently in reference to ghosts. These stories are passed on from one age to another and have been produced in films and in other media forms as well. They have been duplicated in the cultural norms and consequently in the belief systems within the society.
The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race defines a society as a constellation of individuals who share a common norm. These individuals from different cultural backgrounds come together to form a community. A community, on the other hand, is defined by its surrounding and this includes physical features and the rest. In summary, there is so much to learn in anthropology.
References
American Anthropological Association. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.americananthro.org/ American Association of Physical Anthropologists. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://physanth.org/ New York Public Radio Popup Player. (n.d.). Retrieved from
https://www.wnyc.org/radio/#/ondemand/345515
The Worst Mistake in the History of the Human Race | DiscoverMagazine.com. (n.d.).
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