DISCUSSION ASSIGNMENT: In this essay and discussion assignment, and we explore the fundamental topic of this course: What is culture? What is it’s impact on the person and society? Many of the early American cultural anthropologists were what are described as “cultural determinists,” in other words, virtually everything about being human is cultural. In terms of the nature (instincts) vs. nurture (learning) debate, with nature meaning some inherent human nature that is biologically-based and shared across the species of Homo sapiens, American cultural anthropologists believed that human life and experience was almost entirely cultural, and cultures differ, sometimes immensely. This doesn’t mean that all humans don’t share the same senses of observation, reason, logic and morality, what it means is that those observations, reason, logic and morality differ from one culture to another (cultural relativism). [Sociobiologists take great issue with the cultural determinists].
INSTRUCTIONS: In an essay form of a minimum of 300-500 words, and drawing on and demonstrating your comprehension of the materials in the course (demonstrate your knowledge and understanding of the material and NOT what you can google search or “off the top of one’s head”), explain what culture, enculturation, symbols, values, worldview, and “modal personality” mean. How are they related, and how do they impact one’s experience of the world? How, exactly, does one “learn” culture? What are rites of passage and rites of intensification and how do they contribute to learning culture? Have you ever participated in a rite of passage or rite of intensification? How “determinist” do you think culture is? Do you think there is a human nature? What would that be? In the first lecture, I gave some examples of what it means to be a human being – Sartre’s existentialism, Freud’s psychodynamics, etc – for you to consider. Do you have any thoughts, now that you have begun to learn about culture in some detail, on which theoretical perspective you agree with or prefer so far? Choose one and briefly explain why. After you complete and post your essay, read and comment on two other student’s essays (each comment should be a minimum of 70 words to be effective), so they we are considering each other’s thoughts and learning together.
RUBRIC: Your essay is worth 35 points (minimum 300-500 words), each comment is worth 5 points (minimum 70 words per comment), and your writing style is worth 5 points.