Should Cultural Anthropology Stop Trying to Model Itself as a Science Essay

Should Cultural Anthropology Stop Trying to Model Itself as a Science - Essay Example This paper illustrates articles by two schools of thought that seem to offer conflicting ideas on the question of cultural anthropology modeling itself as a science. This is because humanities and sciences tend to appear as though they compete for validity, as though, the two disciplines are two opposite extremes. In this regard, Geertz bears in mind that cultural anthropology is best done through interpretation, the humanities way, while Carneiro is of the view that studies should be done through studying the causes and effects. Carneiro’s way is the scientific method. According to the articles, Geertz opinion is that the humanistic approach to cultural anthropology is the best. This is based on the understanding that interpretation leads to definite contextual comprehension. In this regard, the application of scientific approaches puts to risk analysis of cultural aspects being incomplete. In addition, the issue of anthropology being a science gains popularity with its dual ancestry where it is the most scientific humanity of all. This is, in addition to being the most, humanist of all sciences. Based on the information it is crucial to note that anthropology should stick to being human in that all information should be deduced through interpretation for utmost accuracy. This is, in addition to attempting to prove, or disapprove scientific laws by generating deeper interpretations of diverse cultural phenomena. On the other hand, based on Carneiro, scientific should be used to explain cultural phenomena based on facts and evidence to create logical and rational explanations. This is as proposed through cause-effect studies, as opposed to the mere interpretation of causes and effects. In addition, cultural anthropology focuses on analysis thus, to Carneiro; it is a science, as opposed to the humanistic methods applied by interpretation. In this regard, the analysis goes deeper into details in an attempt to capture more information than that which is fou nd in humanist anthropology.

Communication Skills in a Cross-Culturally diverse Workplace Research Paper

Communication Skills in a Cross-Culturally diverse Workplace - Research Paper Example It means languages and gestures alone can have effects on people from various cultures. In today’s business environment employees ought to be cautious to make sure that their intended information are comprehended plainly. Forbidden topics of discussion, impartiality in political, spiritual and social topics vary across cultures thus creating a challenge for workmates to find a level ground when conversing. Not long ago it was a common practice for business practitioners to create their distinct communication methods in handling suppliers, customers and partners. However presently corporate mangers must take the initiative to learn the cultural differences among their organizations before trying to build a relationship with individuals from other nations. For example a Texan oil baron has to recognize that grabbing his Chinese suppliers arm in a solid grasp is a bad gesture however a slight smile and bow are the suitable mode of greeting. David (2010) notes that body language and verbal communication are more crucial today than before in handling global business because innocent mannerisms, handshakes, and posture can lead to conflict between employees from different cultures of business associates. When change is taking place in an organization communication is further more necessary to carry out that change efficiently. Yet one major issue for present businesses is that transformation is not always relayed effectively. Poor communication during business transformation is said to have a negative impact in the manner in which organizations operate Zaremba (2003). For instance poor communication can lead to opposition to transformation also act as wider harmful influence on business culture? The objective of this research paper is to examine effective transformation communication in the work environment. Regardless of the significance of communication to prosperous business change, how practitioners and experts visualize

Kangaroo and Feature Female Kangaroos Essay Example for Free

Kangaroo and Feature Female Kangaroos Essay Kangaroo Kangaroos are the multicellular animals and they are complex one because they are mammals. As we all know they are the only large animals to use hopping as a means of locomotion and they also hop really fast. The comfortable hopping speed for red kangaroo is about 20–25 km/h (13–16 mph), but speeds of up to 70 km/h (44 mph) can be attained, over short distances, while it can sustain a speed of 40 km/h (25 mph) for nearly. They are also adept swimmers ,and often flee into waterways if threatened by a predator. From the picture we can see kangaroos have large, powerful hind legs, large feet adapted for leaping, a long muscular tail for balance, and a small head. Because of the different area to adapt the environment ,there are four kinds of kangaroos. The first one is the red kangaroo which  is the largest surviving marsupial anywhere in the world. A large male can be 2 meters (6 ft 7 in) tall and weigh 90 kg (200 lb). The second one is eastern grey kangaroo which is the most common one . The last two kinds of kangaroos are The western grey kangaroo and The antilopine kangaroo. For eating kangaroos are autotroph and they have chambered stomachs similar to those of cattle and sheep They regurgitate the vegetation they have eaten, chew it as cud , and then swallow it again for final digestion. Because of its grazing, kangaroos have developed specialised teeth. Its incisors are able to crop grass close to the ground, and its molars chop and grind the grass. For produce a new bay they need to choose correct days because during a dry period, males will not produce sperm, and females will only conceive if there has been enough rain to produce a large quantity of green vegetation. And about kangaroos most special feature female kangaroos have a pouch called a marsupium in which joeys complete postnatal development.

Impressionism And The Work Of Debussy

Impressionism And The Work Of Debussy Debussy was a tonal trailblazer; a musical pioneer who revolutionised not only French music at a time when it was stagnating and receding from the world stage, but the entire Western musical tradition as well. Almost all subsequent styles which followed were either directly or indirectly affected by his originality, for example jazz, atonality and minimalism. After Debussys significant contribution to the repertoire nothing, to iterate a clichà ©, was ever the same again in musical terms. Nevertheless, it is precisely his striking innovation which has rendered Debussy so difficult to categorise. Musicologists encounter no trouble in labelling Mozart a Classical composer or Liszt a Romantic, yet how to catalogue Debussys oeuvres has presented critics with a conundrum for many decades; and is one, as yet, without a universally accepted solution. The most widely-utilised term in reference to the composers compositions is without doubt Impressionism, and is widely accepted by those who do not study music, and also by some who do, as a sole definition of his works. But can this label really encompass a compositional career that spans so many different styles and innovations? This essay will endeavour to answer this question, and to prove that Impressionism alone is not a fair assessment of Debussys music; that he is, despite there being characteristics from a number of aesthetic movements found in his works, almost impossible to classify. Debussys second envoi de Rome precipitated the first ever appearance of the tag Impressionism regarding his works. In a criticism of his orchestral and vocal piece Printemps (1887), the Secretary to the Acadà ©mie des Beaux-Arts opined: One has the feeling of musical colour exaggerated to the point where it causes the composer to forget the importance of precise construction and form. It is to be strongly hoped that he will guard against this vague impressionism, which is one of the most dangerous enemies of truth in works of art. This was a gross misunderstanding and misreading of Debussys intentions, and one which has stuck tenaciously and erroneously ever since. Before the reasons why this is such a misnomer is discussed, it must be acknowledged that it is possible to describe some of Debussys music as Impressionistic. Impressionism was first applied to painting as a label as a consequence of Claude Monets painting Impression, soleil levant (1872). Impressionism was a subsidiary of the wider notion of Realism. Stefan Jarocinski encapsulates the movement impeccably, explaining that Impressionists were concerned with seizing the image of a reality which had not yet been deformed by the intervention of the intelligence and wanted to create a pure impression; that is, unblemished by the sphere of intellect. The Impressionists, in short, were purveyors of sensuality. It must be understood that labelling Debussy in such terms is not entirely invalid. Although he was composing largely after the heyday of the Impressionist painters (the 1860s, 70s and 80s), some of his compositions (namely La mer [1903-05] and Images [1904-08]) do display qualities and tendencies associated with this movement. Debussy himself wrote to the editor of the La revue musicale, Emile Vuillermoz, in 1916, saying: You do me a great honour by calling me a pupil of Claude Monet. It is true to say that a number of the composers artistic principles correspond to those expressed or implied by the Impressionists. For instance, during a rehearsal for the premiere of La mer (1903-05), in answer to conductor Chevillard who had expressed confusion at Debussys specified tempo differing from that of the previous day, the composer replied: but I dont feel music the same way every day. On a wider level, this statement can be interpreted as being compatible with the common Impressionist pr actice of painting the same scene at different times of the day (for example, Monets Water Lilies or Haystacks). Several painters of the movement in question were inspired by similar stimuli as Debussy. A prime example of this is their admiration of Japanese artist Hokusai, whose celebrated woodblock print appeared on the cover page of La mer (1903-5), as stipulated by Debussy. Like the Impressionist painters, again, he made frequent use of water as an inspiration for his compositions. See below a juxtaposition of Sisleys Watermill at the Bridge of Moret in Winter (Ex. 1, 1893) and an extract from Debussys Reflets dans leau from the first volume of Images (Ex. 2, 1905). Note how the rising and falling semitone figure is an evocation of the ebbing and flowing movement of the water. Ex. 1 Ex. 2 In summary, Stefan Jarocinski, despite disagreeing with the application of the term in reference to Debussy, hails Impressionism as the supremacy of musical colour over form and design, an assertion that could certainly describe his musical convictions of other elements subservience to tone colour and the rejection of accepted traditional forms and harmonic principles. Even his biographer, Louis Laloy, claims that Debussys music is a purely auditory music, just as Impressionist painting is entirely visual. However, even Debussys so-called Impressionist pieces cannot be described as exclusively affiliated with this movement. For instance La mer (1903-05), although its depiction of the sea is obvious in its music as well as its title, cannot merely be interpreted as an entirely visual sensory experience, without connotation. As pianist Paul Roberts writes, the sea has often been used to represent themes of love and femininity. The time at which it was written was one of emotional upheaval for Debussy, as he left his wife Lilly Texier for another, Emma Bardac. Equipped with this knowledge, it seems that La mer occupied a deeper, psychologically cathartic purpose that lies beyond the intentions of the Impressionist painters. The Acadà ©mies comments on Debussys Printemps, and by extension, his other works, is an inaccurate, reactionary and narrow evaluation based on musical conservatism. The label, as argued by E. Robert Schmitz, has been detrimental to status of the composers works ever since. He laments that it has resulted in innumerable flawed and misguided performances with use of excessive pedal. His compositions are in fact anything but vague; they are precise and fastidious. In addition, conversely to the common misconception that his piano pieces are indistinct and laden with pedal use, he actually utilises the piano in a masterly way which shows a deep understanding of the instrument and its parameters. In contradiction to the common misconception as outlined by Schmitz, his music is often percussive rather than vague, for example the opening bars of La sà ©rà ©nade interrompue (Ex. 3, from Prà ©ludes, Book 1, 1909-10), which imitates a Spanish guitar, emphatically staccato. Further analyse s of his works reveal the use of Golden Sections, displaying a precision and mathematical element to his compositions that is quite extraordinary. Ex. 3 It must also be noted that Debussy himself rejected the unfortunate label assigned to him, as expressed in a letter to his publishers in 1908: I am trying to do something different in a way, realities what the imbeciles call impressionism, a term which is as poorly used as possible, particularly by art critics. Regarding this, it could be interpreted that the composer disagreed with the label itself rather than the aesthetic, as reality is precisely what the Impressionists hoped to convey. However, one must concede that if the composer wasnt himself happy with the term, and if his music rarely displays qualities which are characteristic of the movement, then it is accurate to say that defining Debussy as an Impressionist is not a valid categorisation. Almost as commonly circulated a term in reference to Debussy is Symbolism. This is a much fairer assessment of his music. The movement, which has its origins in the writings of Charles Baudelaire, grew quickly in Paris during the latter half of the nineteenth century. In brief, Symbolism was a reaction against Realism, and can be seen as almost the antithesis of Impressionism. Its followers were concerned with externalising, through the means of art, the internal, and often infernal, world of the mind, dreams and the supernatural. There is unimpeachable evidence to align Claude Debussy with Symbolism. To begin with, it was a movement rooted in literary origins. Debussy, despite being largely uneducated in any discipline but music, was well-read and had a passion for literature that permeated through to his compositions. His strongest influences were words and writers rather than the visual arts (although Symbolism wasnt exclusively a literary movement; it existed in art too). Debussy gravitated towards Symbolist beliefs, and forged close friendships with notable figures associated with the movement, such as Paul Bourget and Stà ¨phane Mallarmà ©, whose literary salon he was a regular attendee of. Much of his music was overtly Symbolist in character. Prà ©lude à   laprà ¨s-midi dun faune (1892-94), the orchestral tone poem that took his recognition to a new level entirely, is based on a poem by Mallarmà ©. Its whimsical flute opening (Ex. 4) is tonally and rhythmically ambiguous, portraying the indistinct dreams of the eponymous faun; a central theme in Symbolist philosophy. Ex. 4 There is plenty of non-musical evidence to support Debussys affiliation with the Symbolist movement. In 1901 he began to write for a Symbolist periodical, La Revue blanche, and his Chansons de Bilitis (1897-8), as well as their words being written by Debussys close friend and Symbolist Pierre Louà ¿s, was published by Librairie de lart indà ©pendant, a Symbolist publisher. Mediaevalism, or to be more accurate, pseudo-Mediaevalism, a core Symbolist credence, is prevalent in many works. The imitation of monastic organum music (Ex. 5) in the opening bars of La cathà ©drale engloutie (From Prà ©ludes, Book 1, 1909-10) is a prime example, as is the fact that Pellà ©as et Mà ©lisande (1893-5), is set in Allemonde (literally Other World), an imagined Mediaeval setting. Ex. 5 Pellà ©as et Mà ©lisande (1893-5), Debussys only opera, based on a play by writer Maurice Maeterlinck, heralds the zenith of his association with the Symbolist movement. It makes frequent use of symbolism (for example hair to depict eroticism; light and shade to provide conceptual symbols of doomed love). Parallels can be drawn with Wagner, whom Symbolists admired ardently, and who influenced Debussy greatly in the earlier years of his compositional career. Both Wagners Tristan and Isolde (1875-9) and Pellà ©as are tragedies, use leitmotivs and have common themes of love and death. Debussy was as enthusiastic a supporter of his predecessor as any Symbolist, having visited Bayreuth in 1888 and 1889. However, his Wagnerism and Symbolism waned soon after the first performance of Pellà ©as. Furthermore, in 1893 he declared his intention to write an article entitled The Futility of Wagnerism which, although it never materialised, suggests a marked shift in his values. This is why it i s as invalid to describe Debussys music exclusively in terms of Symbolism as it is Impressionism. Both labels represent only a fraction of his artistic output and fail to acknowledge that between Pellà ©as and La mer, a change occurred in his music that was reliant on neither poets nor artists, which could suggest that his own unique voice was finally established after years of musical exploration. In 1889 Debussy had an experience which was to significantly alter the nature of his compositions. During a visit to the Universal Exposition he encountered the sound of the Javanese gamelan for the first time. The pentatonic tonality he heard was to be incorporated into some of his most celebrated compositions, for instance in Pagodes from the piano triptych Estampes (1903), whose blue and gold cover evoking Japan, as well as music exemplifies the Exoticism that the composer incorporated into so many of his pieces. Debussys love of Spain filters through in the second movement, Soirà ©e dans Grenade, in which a habanera rhythm underpins the piece (Ex. 6). As well as Exoticism, it can be interpreted that Debussys music contains elements of the Pre-Raphaelite movement (La damoiselle à ©lue, 1887-8, the text of which was written by Dante Gabriel Rossetti) and even the Romantics (there are sometimes common themes between their beliefs and ideas expressed in Debussys compositions, for e xample escaping by means of travel and antiquity). Ex. 6 Debussy himself christened all labels useful terms of abuse, recognising the arbitrary nature of inflicting any sort of category upon his works. As Paul Dukas wrote in 1901: his music is unclassifiable. Debussy was a radical who defies classification because he is so different to his predecessors and encompasses so many different styles and movements, which is why musicologist encounter such difficultly in trying to pigeonhole him. Beethoven is often described as being both Classical and Romantic. Debussy was also a giant amongst composers in this sense, constructing a bridge between tradition and modernity and liberating harmonic convention. He instigated a musical transition; pre-empted the future. His legacy is far too great to describe in such narrow a term as Impressionism.

Independence and Failure in Shakespeares Macbeth :: GCSE English Literature Coursework

Independence and Failure in Macbeth Peasants of the early sixteenth century are often pictured carrying a bundle of limbs tied with vines on their backs. This is a perfect metaphor for the events in Macbeth. Macbeth is one of many thanes, or limbs, bundled together. The thanes are united by the king, or the vine. Scotland, or the peasant, carries the bundle by the sweat of his brow. They carry the bundle for fires on cold nights, or wars, and to build homes, or castles, to protect them from the elements, or invaders. If the limbs are tied improperly, one limb may slip to the side and cause the peasant, or nation, to stumble or fall. If the limb slides completely out, the rest of the limbs may follow because the bundle is loose. Marriage is like a triangle. Each spouse makes up one of the leaning sides, and marriage the lower side. The three together are very strong, but to stand they all must be united. The longer a marriage is held the longer the bottom stretches, and the more dependent each person becomes on the othe r. If one side tries to stand on its own then the second will fall on the first as it tries to stand. This metaphor also excellently exemplifies the catastrophe that occurs in Macbeth as both Lady Macbeth and Macbeth try to separate. Macbeth is a eighteenth century play written by William Shakespeare. Using these two metaphors, the breakdown in the relationship between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth and between the king and the thanes and how they perfectly parallel each other because each is caused by Macbeth's will to be independent. According to Webster's dictionary, the archaic definition of independence is "competence" (1148). To be independent is not to be "subject to control by others" (Gove 1148). This means that independence is to be in control of ones decisions and to feel they are good decisions. Macbeth, on the other hand, feels independence is to not be subordinate to others like the king. To be independent, one must be strong. Inner strength, not physical strength, is needed. Inner strength is only accomplished by having a high self-esteem. Macbeth does not and must use others to reach for independence. Macbeth needs this strength: It [Macbeth] hurls a universe against a man, and if the universe that strikes is more impressive than the man who is stricken, as great as his size and gaunt as his soul may be he will fall.

The Public Diaries :: Exploratory Essays Research Papers

The Public Diaries Your secret loves and hates. Your tearful confessions. Your emotional epiphanies. A diary can be many things, but almost never is it something that's meant to be read by the entire world. Yet, with the availability of cheap, easy access space on the World Wide Web, a growing minority of internet users is laying its lives and loves out for anyone with a web browser to see. Such a paradox might seem like an unlikely basis for a new trend in web browsing, but in the last few years, the Internet has seen a veritable explosion of these "public" diarists. An online diary is simply a website on which the owner posts semiregular narrative about his or her life and thoughts. Just like a paper diary, it can be as fancy or as plain as you like — with JavaScript substituting for quill pens and shabby ten-cent notebooks replaced by geocities.com. Online diary-keeping has experienced huge growth over the past few years, going from only fifty or so journal websites in 1995 to over nine hundred today – and those are just the ones that signal their desire to be known by joining journal webrings or advertising on search engines. Together with diaries that remain "anonymous," and those kept in a language other than English, there might be thousands altogether. What's more, a large and thriving Internet community has sprung up around this community of diarists. You can read interviews with well-known diarists and news about online diaries , join a mailing list dedicated to the discussion of online journal-keeping , register your diary , or join any number of webrings devoted to categories as broad as new diarists (Chapter Two) and as specific as smokers (Smoke Rings). Indeed, the online journal-keeping community is something of a cross-section of society in general, represented by all age groups (though mostly GenXers), both genders, and all personality types. "There is nothing typical about a †¦ diarist," says Zach Garland of Zach’sMind. "The only similarity is they all love to express themselves online†¦ If these people were to meet in real life under completely random circumstances, it is doubtful even a third of them would give the other the time of day." But why would anyone want to keep his or her private diary on the Internet? The answers are as diverse as the diarists themselves. A survey of about fifty diarists conducted by The Mining Company, a company devoted to gathering statistics and information about all aspects of the Web, reveals that fully 50 percent are online because they want to "hone their writing skills.

Opinions and Social Pressure Essay

Asch in his essay â€Å"Opinions and Social Pressure† conducted an experiment to determine effects of group pressure towards an individual and concluded that there is a very strong tendency to conformity even when doing so conflicting with their own senses of morality. In the experiment a group of young students have to compare length of lines on two different sheets of paper. On one of them there is a sample single line and on the other one there are three lines only one of which is same size as the sample line from the first sheet. People taking part in this experiment are instructed to point at lines that are the same length. At first, during the experiment the group is unanimous in their answers and chooses the correct line, but later on the person that sits near to the end of the line in which people taking part in the experiment are sited, selects different answers then the rest of the group. As the experiment continues and the situation repeats, the isolated in selecting different than the majority answers person shows signs of feeling uncomfortable in position of dissenter. What he doesn’t know is that the rest of the group is instructed to give wrong answers while the experiment is conducted. The single individual is placed in the minority while actually giving the correct answers. Subjects of this experiment could act independently or they could go along with majority’s opinion. A prominent percentage yielded. Under the majority pressure people are more likely to accept the misleading information. There are extreme examples of totally independent individuals as well as people who totally agree with the majority almost most of the time and the tendency is highly consistent. After reconstructing the experiment the next question for the scientist to answer is which aspect of influence is more important, the size of majority or its unanimity. It turns out, that the majority size makes a difference only to the point where majority group involves three people. Making the majority any bigger would not influence on the error rate for the answers in the experiment. Breaking up unanimity of the group in given answers has a significant effect. In the experiment it is also noted that the rate of wrong answers depends to a considerable degree on how wrong the majority is. Even with significant difference in length of lines there were still individuals who agree with majority error. For those participating in this experiment almost all declare that independence was preferable to conformity. â€Å"Life in society requires consensus as an indispensable conditions. But consensus, to be productive, requires that each individual contribute independently out of his experience and insight. (†¦) We have found that tendency to conformity in our society so strong that reasonably and well- meaning young people are willing to call white black is a matter of concern† (Salomon E. Asch â€Å"Opinion and Social Pressure† pp. 730). The experiment has proven that we live in times where opinion become very subjective and can be easily modified. Social techniques are wildly used in marketing and sales or even by lobbyist in governmental decision making process. The uncertainty of people own senses, opinion or knowledge can be easily abused. Asch’s experiment implements how people believe in the obvious lies. It’s shows simple ways of influencing perception, judgment and action. Results of this experiment trigger a number of social and scientifically researches like study of Berns G.S. (2005) (Neurobiological Correlates of Social Conformity and Independence During Mental Rotation, Biological Psychiatry, 58(3), pp 245-253), that explains decision making influence on very profound level. It proves that social mechanisms of authority have an effect not only on individual behavior but it also effects brain chemistry. Resources: â€Å"Opinions and S ocial Pressure† / by Solomon E. Asch Berns G. S. (2005) (Neurobiological Correlates of Social Conformity and Independence During Mental Rotation, Biological Psychiatry, 58(3), pp 245-253) Reaction Paragraph: I was very surprised by the results of Asch’s experiment. I always knew that the opinion of the group counts and it’s important to most of us, but would never except that the scale and strength of decision making influence techniques can be so large and effective. Society faces many different forms and techniques of decision making influences that were developed from results of the Asch’s experiment. This techniques share common goals which are to make society to obey and find the best ways to achieve social conformity. On positive side, conformity can be used to create predictability references or to organize a convenient social structure that doesn’t require constant renegotiations. On the negative side, it’s a key to a great power over social behavior and actions. This raise questions over morality and responsibility over the actions that could be caused by manipulations. If the study was conducted on contemporary society the results wouldn’t be much different if not even showing stronger tendency to conformity. Living in the age of social media, mass communication networks and globalization concepts individuals are more pressured to obey, to be a part of events or actions not truly and not only by their free will. The study indicates that in big majority people are followers and they tend to obey authority and follow the opinion of majority. Awareness of how humans tend to obey comes with some tips on how we can protect ourselves from external influence. Cultivating a healthy skepticism and exercising active change in our behavior make us less vulnerable to prospective social experiments.