Edward Tylor is credited with being the first to define the concept of culture and ascribe importance to anthropology in the late 19th century. In his book "Primitive Culture" published in 1871, Tylor described culture as a complex whole that includes knowledge, beliefs, art, law, morals, customs, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by humans as members of society. This marked the beginning of the systematic study of culture within anthropology.
Following Tylor, other notable anthropologists such as Franz Boas further developed the concept of culture by emphasizing the importance of studying specific cultures in their own context rather than through a comparative lens. Boas also emphasized the idea of cultural relativism, which argues that each culture should be understood on its own terms rather than judged against the standards of another culture.
Overall, the historical development of the culture concept within anthropology has involved a shift from viewing culture as a uniform and linear process of development, to a more nuanced and diverse understanding that takes into account the complexities and variations of human societies.
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2.2. Outline the historical development of the culture concept.
Who first defined the concept of culture and ascribed importance to anthropology?
James Frazer
Charles Darwin
Franz Boas
Edward Tylor
1 answer