Anth linda matthei texas am commerce Flashcards
Religion is a cultural
universal
Religion is the
Assumption that there are SUPERNATURAL” forces or beings that give shape and meaning to the universe
When they say that religion is an “assumption” what do they mean?
No proof, one assumes
Religion is based on “what”?
faith
Faith does not have
a scientific base
When they say that religion gives shape to the universe, what does it mean?
Morals, creation myths, how we got to be here.
Who was the first anthropologists to undertake a systematic study of religion cross-culturally…?
E.B. Tylor
What does the term “Armchair Anthropologist” mean?
That they stayed home, and didn’t actually visit, but studied from home.
What did E.B. Tylor argue?
that “primitive” societies are preoccupied with dreams, trances, and death
E.B Tylor said that earliest societies believed that everything in the universe had….what?
a belief in a dual existence
Belief in a dual existence, means that everything has a ____ and _____.
body and a spirit
E.B. Tylor came up with model for what?
religion
Animists believe that when we dream, our spirit…
leaves the body and goes out and does stuff- talking to dead,
when an animist wakes up from a dream, the spirit
has returned to the body
E.B. Tylor said “what happened to religion as our reasoning becomes more clear?”
religious beliefs evolve as the reasoning becomes more complex.
What is the definition of Animism?
Belief in a dual existence.
What is the definition of Polytheism?
Belief in multiple Gods.
What is the definition of Monotheism?
Belief in one supreme being.
What did Tylor believe would happen to religion as science grew?
That religion would die out.
Tylor believes that the function of religion does what?
Explains the unexplained.
A lot of anthropologists argue that Tylor missed the ______ form of religion; What?
earliest form of religion. Which is; a belief in IMPERSONAL FORCES.
the belief in impersonal forces is called
Animatism.
Animatism is a belief that certain people and objects can bring fortune?
True, they believe that the object has a supernatural force that can bring luck.
What does Polynesia believe in?
Mana
In Polynesia, the belief that amount of Mana you have is determined by what?
Your social status
Mana has no particular characterists, its just a powerful ____ that People and ____ have more of less of.
Force; Objects
People with low social status have how much mana compared to a higher individual ?
Less.
Spirit beings are the same as Tylors what?
Animism
Ancestor Spirits are of ____ origin.
Human