Read Chapter 1 in your text. After reading the chapter, post a response to the following (post your response as a comment under this post).
This assignment is meant to familiarize you with how to communicate through the discussion forums. In your first post,introduce yourself to your classmates. Who are you? What are a couple of interests of yours? Why are you taking this course?
Next, include a response to the following:
What are your impressions as to how anthropology differs from other social sciences? Which branch of anthropology interests you most and why?
Your initial post is due by midnight, Thursday, August 18. For every discussion assignment you are required to post once and respond to at least two of you classmates. Your responses to classmates are due by midnight, Saturday, August 20.
Hi Dr. Reeves,
ReplyDeleteAre we supposed to answer the questions here or on the Discussion Board?
Cady
Hello everyone,
ReplyDeleteMy name is Lillian and I am taking this class because it seems interesting. I am currently pursuing an Associate’s Degree in Psychology. I enjoy any outdoor activity and spending time with my pets and fiancé. Anthropology differs from other social sciences in the fact that it studies in a holistic way versus in only human behavior. The branch of Anthropology that interests me the most is Anthropological Linguistics. I have always been fascinated on different languages and the different ways that people communicate. I hope everyone has a great semester.
Hey my name is Samma, I'm working toward an Associate's in Engineering. I like eating spicy food and playing PC games. Anthropology is different from other social sciences because it is more reliant on history, while combining components of a few different scientific fields. My favorite branch of anthropology is archaeology, because I find it more interesting. The fact that humans created artifacts before they were even considered "human" and those artifacts can still be found today, and the actual evidence of creatures that no longer exist because of their fossilized skeletons are what I find amazing about archaeological anthropology.
ReplyDeleteHi everyone! My name is Alexis and I am a double major in a transfer program. I'm studying Dance and Business (I want to open my own studio one day) and I live and breathe all things dance related. I took this class because I am kind of a history nut; sounds crazy, I know. Anthropology differs from other types of social sciences in that it is about entire civilizations in history, not just specific people and/or events. I'm interested in physical anthropology because it studies how human beings have adapted over time based off of the conditions that they were faced with.
ReplyDeleteHi all! My name is Samantha but people call me Samma as well. I had to read the other Samma's post a few times to make sure I had not posted in my sleep! I also enjoy playing video games; however, I'd have to say I like reading books more than eating spicy food! I enrolled in the class because I've been interested in the subject my whole life. I'm most interested in archaeology (Samma's think alike!) because I believe in the old addage 'Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it.' There's so much to be learned from other cultures, past and present. The study of culture is also what sets Anthropology apart from other social sciences. Culture defines what it means to be a certain peoples. Studying living conditions, religious views, marital/ mating practices, etc., can teach us a lot about human differences but most importantly, about our similarities.
ReplyDeleteHey everyone! My name is Abigail Dahl, but everyone calls me Abbey! I am an avid runner, and Curtis Sittenfeld is my favorite author! I decided to take Anthropology because of my love for learning different languages! I find it so fascinating that there are so many languages all over the world, and all of us can say something in an ample amount of ways. Because of my interest in languages, my favorite branch of Anthropology would be anthropological linguistics. "The human ability to use language," (10) is amazing to me. "That 2 percent," (11) difference in humans and apes that allows us to speak, and have such a complex vocabulary is remarkable. What sets Anthropology apart from other social sciences is that it allows people to realize how much culture is in the world. Anthropology is able to give us a better understanding of the immense variety of different religions, traditions, and cultures throughout the world, and can show how somethings are connected.
ReplyDeleteHi everyone. My name is Meredith Arnold and I am a sophmore at Sandhills. This is not my first online class, however this is my first time using a website blog for a discussion board; it looks interesting! I am taking this class because it fills my requirements for my degree and plus it will be helpful for my career choice because I will be working with all races and walks of life. I enjoy traveling and art; specifically tattoos.
ReplyDeleteAnthropology differs from other social sciences in a way because it studies human cultures from present to millions of years ago. It takes a deeper look into a culture's economic issues, their locations, etc.
I am most interested in the cultural anthropology or socio-cultural anthropology. This studies humans in their own community or ethnographies. I find that by learning more about someone's background and where they are from, you can find more to relate to them.
Hello everyone! My name is Becca Libby. I am a history major planning on going to Arizona State for archaeology. I love cooking, gardening, and shooting guns at the firing range. I'm taking this class because it will give me a jump start on classes I'll need to take later on. I love learning about other cultures, especially ancient cultures. That is one thing that I think sets anthropology apart from other sciences, it can study all aspects of human life from the very beginning until now, and everything in between. All the different time periods of life are so different, and yet every culture share things that are purely and innately human. Things that are a part of every culture since the beginning of our time. My favorite aspect of anthropology is the study of medicines and treatment of diseases and ailments. From the ancient Egyptian surgeons, to acupuncture in China and herbal remedies all over the world.
ReplyDeleteHello everyone, my name is Dawn Depouli. I am currently pursuing a degree in nursing with hopes of continuing further. I love spending time with my family, and shopping. I am taking this class because I took it previously and ran into a few issues with my kids getting very sick and was not able to get what I would have liked out of the class.
ReplyDeleteI love learning about other cultures as I feel that different cultures is what helps set us apart from others, it allows us to study not just ourselves but all aspects of life and how we all differ from other time periods and quality of life.
My Impression of how anthropology differs from other social sciences is that it is holistic and comparative. It is the most scientific of the social sciences as it has roots in biology, chemistry, evolution.
Hello! My name is Hillary and I'm studying for a degree in general education. I'm taking this course because anthropology really interests me. The branch of anthropology that interest me the most in archaeology because I love learning about past cultures and the way they lived. I believe anthropology focuses on humankind in its entirety whereas social sciences focuses mostly on social behavior. One of my hobbies is thrift store shopping for vintage clothing. I also love music and going to concerts. This is my second attempt at college and hopeful my last! I'm looking forward to working with everyone this semester.
ReplyDeleteHello, my name is Stephanie, and I am posting this from the sunny state of Florida...yay! I just graduated from the SCC Surgical Tech program, but I still wanted to come back and work toward my Associates in Fine Arts. I'm really interested in anything concerning the medical field and surgery, which is why I wanted to become a Surgical Tech. I love reading about amazing medical stories, watching gross medical shows, and loved when I got to work in the operating room during clincicals. Although this course was required for my degree, I'm still very interested in the curriculum and can't wait to get started!
ReplyDeleteAnthropology is really a science of it's own, and should be kept separate from other social sciences. For one, antropology, to me at least, seems to focus more on a really large group of people or on several similar cultures. Other social sciences; such as linguistics, archaeology, political science, can put more focus on the individual instead. Also, anthropology combines the different social sciences and uses elements from almost all of them to understand people. For example, an anthropologist will have to understand lingusitics, political structure, sociology, economics, and biology to really study a group of people and how they interacted with one another.
The branch of antropology which really interests me is the study of cultures who did not have a written record, or Historic Archaeology. Even if these ancient people did not have as a sophisticated alphabiet, much like Eqyptain hieroglyphics, they still were able to leave their message to people today. They communicated instead through paintings, statues, monuments, and artifacts that have survived through the centuries.
Stephanie,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree on your comment about societies that did not have written records. I love looking at art from those peoples. Of course, looking at and learning about ancient writings like hieroglyphics are amazing too, it is such a different feeling looking at the art. When I took art history one of my favorite sections was prehistoric art. It's so powerful to think about these people, trying in any way they could to portray their feelings about life and the world around them. Things like the Venus of Willendorf are such a classic example of this, and are so famous because of the strong feelings they give to people today.
Meredith,
ReplyDeleteI like that word socio-cultural. Not only does it just sound cool, but it is so fun to talk to people from a totally different background from your own. Whether you agree with it or not, it is still fun to learn about and discuss. I think that will be one of the most interesting parts of this class, just seeing all the different opinions of people based on their backgrounds and cultural heritage.
Hello everyone, my name is Taylor Britt. I am currently enrolled as a freshman at Sandhills. I am majoring in Psychology, and plan to transfer to Coastal Carolina University after a year. The reason I am taking this class is to fulfill my degree requirements. Some of my interests are surfing, hanging out with my friends, and playing sports. I enjoyed being a lifeguard at local pools this summer. Anthropology is different from other social sciences because of the importance it places on culture and not just on behavior. How a group of people lived is influenced by many different factors. The branch I am most interested in is, archaeological anthropology. Finding artifacts used by actual people thousands of years ago has always intrigued me. Even though we have advanced so much in technology, some things remain the same. Like a simple cup used for drinking still has value.
ReplyDeleteTaylor I agree with you I think it is awesome how footprints our existence has left behind are valuable because of maybe who used them or even if they were a religious artifact.
ReplyDeleteand Becca, you brought up an interesting point about anthropology helping to discover ailments for disease... I think this is correct even though I can't think of any specific examples. Is it helpful because of knowing how we change and are affected by medicine over long periods of time?
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ReplyDeleteHaha and other Samma that is hilarious kinda
ReplyDeleteHey, My name is Michael Bennett. I am 20 years old and trying to become a Dental Assistant. After that I plan going to a four year college and becoming a licensed Dentist. My thoughts on how anthropology differs from social sciences. Is that anthropology deals specifically with the evolution of man as a whole from different cultures and race. I really can't pick which branch interest the most because I have not fully studied each one piece by piece.
ReplyDeleteHi, there, everyone! My name is Khala Flanagan, and I’m in the transfer program for my Associates in Arts. I didn’t start out as a full-time credit student at SCC, so I’ve been here for over 2 years now… but I’m planning to finally graduate next spring, and then possibly transfer so I can earn my Bachelors of Arts in English Literature. My greatest passion is writing and storytelling, and I’m a huge fan of Pixar Animation Studios. I’m a graduate student of the Institute of Children’s Literature, and I spend my free time writing different genres of children/teen novels and watching Pixar films… hehe! :)
ReplyDeleteTo be quite honest, I’m taking the Anthropology course because, at the very last minute during registration, I realized I needed it to complete my Social/Behavioral Sciences requirement. I didn’t even really know what anthropology was before I started the class! Yet, now that I’ve started reading the book and understanding what it’s about, I’m quite interested to learn more! I realize now that anthropology differs from sociology because it explores the “total range” of human society and not just one part of it. Other cultures (especially in the Mediterranean, Middle East, and India regions) have always fascinated me, and I’m thrilled I get to explore and study them. After reading the first chapter, I think the branch of anthropology I’m most fascinated with is archaeology. The fact that archeological sites are extremely rare and precious makes this kind of study really special and interesting to me.
I didn’t exactly know what I was getting myself into with this class, but now I’m looking forward to it as a great adventure!
God bless!
Samma,
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely! I guess through trail and error we have found things that work, to things that don't, we have found out plants that are poisonous to us, and plants that cure us of various conditions. People used to think that tomatoes would kill you if you ate them because they are related to Nightshade, which is poisonous. Of course now we know they are not, but only because a brave man stood in the middle of town and ate an entire bushel of tomatoes in front of the whole town. I'm not sure if that is a good example but it is a true story. : )
That's pretty brave and ballsy. I'm sure glad he did that though because I love BLT's. Thank you for the example!
ReplyDeleteStephanie! I totally agree that it is so cool how we are able to translate ancient messages from the Egyptians. And also how our current language somehow evolved from all of the past languages.
ReplyDeleteTaylor! I love how you used the reference of the cup! Ancient artifacts are so fascinating, but I never really looked at a cup and truly appreciated its purpose, and the fact that it was invented so long ago and still holds the same purpose it did 300 years ago and so on!
Dawn Depouli:
ReplyDeleteThat's great you're going to be a nurse, I just graduated from the Surgical Tech program and had the opportunity to work with so many great nurses in the OR.
Anyways, although different cultures do set us apart from others, those differences should also bring us together. The new ideas and traditions can teach us things as well, and other cultures can learn from us. For example, although the culture in the U.S. is really different from the Asian culture, we have been exchanging ideas and share interacting markets for a very long time...Americans even enjoy Asian food in the United States. It's hard to say something is right or wrong in a culture as well, what an American might say is okay in his/her culture can be really offensive in the Asian culture. I think that is one aspect that really makes us look at ourselves and maybe even question accepted practices here.
Also, anthropology is really a unique science from other social sciences since it is holistic and comparative. However, an anthropologist has to have an understanding of not only biology, chemistry, and evolution; but also political science, criminology, economics, and archeology as well. Because of this, I completely agree with your statement that anthropology is "the most scientific of the social sciences."
Michael Bennett:
ReplyDeleteWow, that's interesting you want to become a licensed dentist. I can't stand looking in people's mouths and nasty teeth, more props to you!
Anthropology really does focus on the evolution of man, but it pulls some much information from various cultures as well I think. One culture didn't shape the human race, but every tradition and idea from different cultures have come together to make us what we are today. The comparative approach of anthropology really puts the focus on each culture and what they all might have had in common. That's really interesting you couldn't decide on which branch you enjoyed the most, it makes sense. It's hard to pick a favorite when we haven't even started studying the branches yet!
sreynolds22, you are absolutely correct, in same ways it does bring us together and in other ways it doesn't. It actually pushes us further apart. We should be able to use other peoples ideas and possibly benefit from them. In many ways it could help us be more effective. Congrats on graduating and best of luck to you this semester.
ReplyDeletehillarymichelle, very well said i truly enjoy looking at how others live. I believe that if we all had to live like another culture and live just like them we wouldn't be so needy. We would appreciate the things we have. I also enjoy thrift shopping and looking at the different clothes. I think there is so much out there that allows us to be different from others, but we should also look to each other for ideas that may help us.
ReplyDeleteL.A, I too believe that it differs the same way you feel. Also something about hearing others speak in different languages fascinates me. Im always amazed when i see a young child speaking 2 languages. It just goes to show that anything is possible. I have to be honest, I don't know that I would have the patience to teach my kids two different languages, props to those that do. It will only benefit them later in life.
ReplyDeleteDawn D.,
ReplyDeleteI am glad you are giving this class another try and I hope your kids are doing well.
I grew up learning two languages and it’s not as hard as you may think. I may have had an advantage to some degree; being that both Spanish and English was spoken regularly in my house. You are right in that it is a benefit. I plan to learn German as soon as I have more time.
Becca,
ReplyDeleteI have to say I am impressed with your goals! Majoring in Archeology is pretty neat and I would love to see how everything works out for you. Learning about other cultures is interesting and gives us an opportunity to be well rounded and not so judgmental in my opinion. Good luck with your studies.
Becca, i fully agree that anthropology is much different from others sciences because there is so much we can learn from our past. Finding artifacts that were once used to complete a simple task can be very fascinating to find.
ReplyDeleteDawn, I agree that anthropology is a learning science that can help us study how different cultures do things. It is always interesting to find out how other cultures use the same things we do, but for a different reason or method. Anthropology has a very wide range of learning, and anyone can be interested in at least one area of its studies.
Hi, My name is Sierra. I love to ballroom dance and run. I am currently getting my degree for and associates in arts. I want to be an archaeologist and do something with languages. Anthropology is different from the other social sciences because anthroplogy takes into effect absolutely everything to come to a conclusion instead of taking only one part and coming to a conclusion. I am most interested in archaeology and linguistics.
ReplyDeleteDawn, I like how you said that anthropology is the most scientifice because it has roots in a lot of the scientific fields even though its a social science.
ReplyDeleteBecca, I think that is very awesome that you are going to be an archaeologist. What kind of archaeology are you most interested in. My mom loves Egyptian, so I was taught a lot from her. But my favorite is underwater archaeology.
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ReplyDeleteHi everyone! My name is Blaine Hooper! I hit a few bumps on the road to this on-line course. I finally figured it out and I am looking forward to learning more throughout the semester with you all! Better late then never! I am a Voice Major focusing on Music Education and would someday love to be a Music teacher. God has blessed me with a wonderful family and great friends!
ReplyDeleteI am taking this course mostly to finally understand what Anthropology really is. I have always heard people say "Anthropology is so interesting" or "I have a degree in Anthropology", but never really knew why it was so fascinating. I am now discovering why.
Anthropology is not like any other science due to the fact that its main focus is on the understanding of the world in which we all live in. This is done by the study of culture, land, biology, language, and people!
I am most interested in Cultural Anthropology. To be even more specific Historical Ethnography. This is the relationship between societies and the way they work. What makes a society tick? Why do they have certain rituals? What was the day like for someone living in this time? These questions and more can be answerd through historical "reasoning". A person living in the year 2011 could give you descriptive details about a culture from hundreds and thousands of years ago. The simple fact that a person, like me or you, could pick up an artifact or a piece of writing dating back from years, reserch it, and then proceed to tell a complete stranger about where and when that something came from and the people who used that artifact or wrote that piece of writing is fascinating to me! This is why I think I am going to enjoy this course very much!
I'm looking forward to a great semester!
Good Luck! God Bless!
Stephanie- I agree with you on the historical anthropology. The way that a society millions of years ago can be understood today is amazing. I look forward to reading more of your thoughts on this!
ReplyDeleteDawn- First congrats on pursuing nursing. I always thought I wanted to be a nurse untill my second year of college and then decided my heart belonged to music! Good luck to you with that!!
Hi I am Sara Bugler. I have 3 kids. I enjoy going to the beach, playing with my kids, and sleeping. Anthropology is different from other social studies because it examines people in thier own cultures, religions, and give us a better understanding of others viewpoints. I am most interested in Cultural Anthropology because I think when you can understand people better and even though you may not agree with them, it gives insite into thier thoughts it creates more compassion for them.
ReplyDelete