Anthropology Lesson 1 Key Terms

Key Terms for Lesson 1 ANTH 101 C

Anthropology

The study of humans.

Archaeology

The scientific study of past human life and activities through the analysis of material remains.

Belief

Trust, faith, or confidence in someone or something.

Empirical

Based on, concerned with, or verifiable by observation or experience rather than theory or pure logic.

Faith

A strong belief in something, especially in the absence of proof, or a trust in something or someone, particularly in the context of religion.

Holism

The theory that parts of a whole are in intimate interconnection, such that they cannot exist independently of the whole, or cannot be understood without reference to the whole, which is thus regarded as greater than the sum of its parts. Holism is often applied to mental states, language, and ecology.

Theory

A well-substantiated explanation of some aspect of the natural world.

Culture

The arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively.

Hypothesis

A proposed explanation made on the basis of limited evidence as a starting point for further investigation.

Scientific Law

A statement that describes a consistent and universal relationship observed in nature.

Scientific Method

A method of procedure that has characterized natural science since the 17th century, consisting of systematic observation, measurement, and experiment, and the formulation, testing, and modification of hypotheses.

Cultural Anthro.

The branch of anthropology concerned with the study of human societies and cultures and their development.

Physical Anthro.

The branch of anthropology concerned with the study of human biological and physiological characteristics and their development.

Linguistic Anthro.

The study of how language functions within a social and cultural context.