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1: Introduction to Physical Anthropology

Physical Anthropology · LibreTexts

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    From LibreTexts, under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0, as the source states it; its equations are written in TeX, which the PDF shows typeset. This page at LibreTexts.

    This chapter will introduce you to the field of anthropology, define basic terms and concepts and explain why it is important, and how it can change your perspective of the world around you.

    • 1.1: Science
      The word science comes from the Latin for “knowledge”, but in modern English it means a very specific kind of knowledge, and implies a method of obtaining knowledge. Anthropology is mostly based on science. Anthropology is holistic. The four main subfields of anthropology are cultural anthropology, physical (biological) anthropology, archaeology, and linguistics. Before talking about science, we should back up even farther, and talk about epistemology, the study of how we know things.
    • 1.2: Anthropology as a Science
      Anthropology differs from other sciences because it emphasizes holism and genealogy. The emphasis on genealogy for cultural anthropology implies a focus on the family (domestic structure). The emphasis on genealogy for physical anthropology extends the metaphor of the family tree from an individual and their family, to a family tree writ-large that uses phylogentic taxonomy to contextualize the human species. Anthropology's emphasis on holism implies a balance between different approaches and m

    This page titled 1: Introduction to Physical Anthropology was last modified on Tue, 17 Nov 2020 09:29:48 GMT and is shared under a CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 license and was authored, remixed, and/or curated by Arnie Daniel Schoenberg via source content that was edited to the style and standards of the LibreTexts platform.