EST 200 1st Edition Lecture 22 Outline of Last Lecture I Tribe continued II Centralized Political Systems Chiefdoms III Chiefdom IV State Political Organization Outline of Current Lecture I Religion II Ritual III Practitioners IV Magic V Cosmology Current Lecture I II Religion a in Anthropology religion is defined as the beliefs and patterns of behavior by which humans try to deal with what they view as important problems that i Cannot be solved through the application of known technology or ii Techniques of organization To overcome these limitations people turn to the manipulation of supernatural beings and powers iii How do we try to manipulate Answer by ritual Ritual a Are a set form or system of rite religious or otherwise i Prayers songs dances offerings sacrifices smells used to manipulate supernatural beings and powers by believers to their advantage b Functions of religion in society i Reduce anxiety by explaining the unknown and making it understandable ii Comfort in times of crisis iii Sanction human conduct by providing notions of right and wrong iv Maintaining social solidarity c Religion is a part of all known cultures with considerable variety d Hunter gathers naturalistic part of daily life e Technologically developed societies with scientific knowledge makes religion less an important a part of daily activities and tends to be restricted to specific occasions These notes represent a detailed interpretation of the professor s lecture GradeBuddy is best used as a supplement to your own notes not as a substitute III IV i Upper class religion is less important as theyhave more control over their destiny ii Lower cases religion serves as compensation for their dependent status in society iii Also controlling of their question hope for a better existence after death f God and Goddesses great and remote beings g Pantheons a collection of gods h Ancestral spirits supernatural beingswho are the ghosts of dead relatives controlling behavior i Notion of 1 Body 2 Vital spirit freed by death form the body and continuing to exist i Animism a term used by Edward Tylor to describe a belief in a dual existence for all things i A physical visible body ii And a psychic invisible soul iii A belief in spirit beings j Animatism a belief in supernatural forces Inanimate power just beyond reach of the senses k R R Marett felt that Tylor s animism was far too sophisticated an idea to be the origin of religion Marett suggested forces for example the power of a rabbit s foot preceded the creation of spirits l The Melanesians think of MANA as a force inherent in all objects It is not in itself physical but it can reveal itself physically Practitioners a Priest or Priestesses a full time religious specialist Frequently do tell people what to do b Shaman learned special religious power on his or her own and is thought to possess certain special abilities to deal with super natural beings and power c Rites of Passage i Birth ii Puberty iii Marriage iv Parenthood v Advancement vi Death d Rituals have three points i Separation ii Transition iii Incorporation Magic V a Defined as rtual practices belief that supernatural powers can be compelled o act in certain ways for good or evil purposes by recourse to certain specified formulas to ensure good crops replenishment of game b Witchcraft an explanation of misfortune based on the belief that certain individualsposses ad innate psychic power capable of causing harm including sickness and death Cosmology a Cosmology is defined as the most general understanding of the overall structure of the universe the picture of the world held by a particular people