What is Anthropology
What is Anthropology?
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Introduction
The study of people such as their social life, communication, behaviours and history across the world is referred to as anthropology. In addition, anthropology focuses on both social features and biological aspects in human beings. Social features deals with religion, family, politics, culture and language while the biological aspects concentrate on human evolution, history of their nutrition, genetics and physiology. Anthropology has different categories, which include linguistic, archaeology, biology and cultural anthropology.
Cultural anthropology plays an important role in explaining the evolution of human culture. Cultures signify traditions, values, knowledge transmitted from one generation to another via symbols, concepts and words. Cultural anthropologist enable outsider to understand certain behavior of a certain group of people. Moreover, linguistic anthropologist helps to understand internal structures, evolution and history of languages. It also attempt to explain verbal ideas meaning and the reason why people communicate. On the other hand, archaeology helps to discover human records in material remains such as abandoned baskets, religious figurines, pictographs and cave painting. Biological anthropology attempts to explain human history. In this case, biological anthropologist studies genetic differences, evolution and biological origins of Homo sapiens. Therefore, they are concerned with evolution of nervous and brain systems in Homo. They also derive comparison and differences between human beings and primates especially chimpanzees and monkey as well as what make human being unique.
Through humanistic and scientific studies, an anthropologist is able to understand human evolution and culture. Different categories of anthropology possess its own databases, theories and skills of unique knowledge.
Conclusion
Anthropology plays a major role in enhancing the knowledge and understanding of human beings. Anthropologist uses a wide range of approaches to understand various human aspects. Additionally, it helps to know the evolution of cultures in different societies.
Bibliography
Boas, Franz. Anthropology And Modern Life. Dover Publications, 2012.
Fedorak, Shirley A. Anthropology Matters. Toronto: University of Toronto Press, 2013.