Anthropology of Religion Flashcards

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Questions and Answers

What does the term ethnocentric mean?

Believing in the superiority of one's own ethnic and cultural group and having a corresponding disdain for all other groups.

What is naturalization in the context of culture?

Ideas and behaviors so deeply embedded in a culture that they are regarded as universally normal or natural.

Define projection as a psychological concept.

A defense mechanism that involves attributing one's own threatening feelings, motives, or impulses to another person or group.

What is a theory?

A hypothesis that has been tested with a significant amount of data. Signup and view all the answers

How would you define methodology?

A set of policies, procedures, standards, processes, practices, tools, techniques, and tasks that people apply to technical and management challenges. Signup and view all the answers

What is phenomenology?

The study that seeks to understand the meaning of experiences for individuals. Signup and view all the answers

Explain the husserl phenomenological method.

It involves 'bracketing out' what cannot be demonstrated or proved to focus on observable appearances. Signup and view all the answers

What does methodological agnosticism refer to?

A neutral stance regarding whether religion is true or false, focusing on the power of religion instead. Signup and view all the answers

Define cultual relativism.

The belief that culture should be judged by their own standards, and that no group of people is better than another. Signup and view all the answers

What is empiricism?

The theory that all knowledge is derived from sense-experience. Signup and view all the answers

What was Evans-Pritchard's view on Azande witchcraft?

Witchcraft is believed to be an inherited substance that performs bad magic autonomously. Signup and view all the answers

What does representation mean in social sciences?

How anything, particularly words or descriptions, comes to stand for a people or a process. Signup and view all the answers

What is interpretation in the context of social phenomena?

The process of coming to understand information or observations made about a social phenomenon. Signup and view all the answers

Summarize Tylor's argument about how animism developed.

Tylor argued that animism explains natural phenomena and is the foundation of all religions. Signup and view all the answers

Study Notes

Key Concepts in Anthropology of Religion

Ethnocentric: Belief in one's own ethnic and cultural group superiority, often resulting in disdain for others.
Naturalization: Cultural ideas and behaviors considered universally normal or natural due to deep embedding in a culture.

Psychological Processes

Projection: Defense mechanism where individuals attribute their own threatening feelings or impulses to others.
Methodological Agnosticism: Neutral approach to religion, focusing on its power rather than determining its truth or falsehood.

Research and Analysis

Methodology: Comprehensive policies and procedures applied to technical and management challenges.
Interpretation: Complex process of understanding social phenomena, varying greatly across disciplines and cultures.

Research Methods

Phenomenology: Focuses on individual experiences and meanings derived from them, emphasizing knowledge gained through experience.
Husserl's Phenomenological Method: Encourages "bracketing" unverifiable claims to focus on observable appearances and the essence of experiences.

Cultural Perspectives

Cultual Relativism: Belief in judging cultures by their own standards, asserting no group is superior to another.
Empiricism: Knowledge theory positing that all understanding originates from sensory experience, rooted in the works of Locke, Berkeley, and Hume.

Witchcraft and Beliefs

Evans-Pritchard: Azande Witchcraft: Witchcraft as an inherited substance causing autonomous harm; rituals exist for protection and mitigation due to pervasive belief in its presence.

Representation and Description

Representation: The way social scientists describe and analyze the people they study; standards are evolving with increased understanding.
Tylor's Argument on Animism: Proposed that animism, the belief in spirits inhabiting beings, is fundamental to all religions and arose from humanity's need to explain the world.

Insights on Religion

Religion as Survival: Tylor viewed religion as critical for understanding worldly phenomena. He argued animism is the most basic form and foundation of all religions, highlighting its historical and cultural significance.

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Description

Test your knowledge of key terms in the anthropology of religion with these flashcards. Each card provides a crucial definition that helps deepen your understanding of cultural concepts and psychological mechanisms. Perfect for students and enthusiasts alike!