Various Theoretical Perspectives, Part 4
Question 1: Discuss cultural determinism as a theoretical perspective.
Answer 1: Determinism is the belief that everything is caused by some other force or determinant. Cultural determinism views anthropology as a science that finds determinants or causes that produce certain effects. Thus, many anthropologists who adhere to other basic theoretical perspectives are also cultural determinists because they incorporate scientific methods. Influential anthropologists who incorporated cultural determinism include Margaret Mead (who felt culture was a major determinant), Marvin Harris (who wrote several books about science and culture), and the neo-evolutionist Leslie White. The latter two felt that infrastructure was a major determinant.
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Question 2: Discuss structuralism as a theoretical perspective.
Answer 2: Structuralism is a theoretical perspective connected primarily with Claude Levi-Strauss. Structuralism sets forth the theory that all human minds have a number of common characteristics that lead people in different cultures to think in the same way. These universal mental characteristics include things that encourage classification and imposition of structure, such as the necessity to impose order on various relationships and the tendency to see things in binary opposition instead of in a continuum. In other words, humans in all cultures tend to see differences as distinct categories rather than disparities of degree.
Question 3: Discuss some anthropological theories that view culture as more influential than the individual.
Answer 3: The neo-evolutionist Leslie White thought that individuals were insignificant relative to the cultural forces; he also believed that so-called “great” men were simply creations of timely cultural forces. He coined the term culturology for cultural anthropology. Another scholar called Alfred Kroeber also emphasized the command of culture over the individual. He said that there is a special superorganic sphere of culture. Emile Durkheim proposed that a new social science rooted in the collective consciousness and social facts be developed. He felt that anthropologists should be examining individuals only in the context of their larger social system.
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