Although based on the geological paradigm, this was the first genuine anthropological paradigm. The discipline received its name at this time, and became institutionalized in the museums where most of the work was centered. We will examine the theory of evolution and some of its implications.
Morgan, Lewis H. 1877. Ancient Society. Chicago, IL: Charles H. Kerr. Part I, Chaps. 1,2,3; Part IV, Chaps. 1,2 (CFAL: JC21 M84 1963 / GN478 M67 1985 - on reserve)
Spencer, Herbert. 1973. The Evolution of Society, pp. 3-27 in High Points in Anthropology, ed. by Paul Bohannon & Mark Glazer. New York: Alfred A. Knopf (CFAL: GN17 B63 - on reserve)
Hofstadter, Richard. 1955. The Vogue of Spencer, pp. 31-50 in Social Darwinism in American Thought. Boston, MA: Becon Press (3 xerox copies on reserve)
Recommended: Comte, Auguste. 1856. The Positive Philosophy of August Comte. trans. by Harriet Martineau. New York: Calvin Blanchard pp. 25-30, 48-49, 457-485.
August Comte and Positivism. The Essential Writings, ed. by Gertrud Lenzer. New York: Harper Torchbooks, pp. 71-77, 98-99, 223-252 (Schwerin)
Engels, Frederick. 1884. The origin of the family, private property and the state. (reprinted 1942 by International Publishers, New York) (Schwerin)
Service, Chaps. 1,2,3 (pp, 3-57), pp. 113-119 (Chap. 9)
1. What scientific model is being used by the evolutionists? What other scientific discipline have they drawn on most extensively in developing their ideas? What is the nature of their paradigm? What were the common goals of the evolutionists?
2. What is the nature of the 'comparative method' and how did it inform the work of the evolutionists? To what extent is their method inductive vs. deductive, or both?
3. What are the major features of Morgan's evolutionary theory of society? What Enlightenment ideas are still prevalent in Morgan's scheme and what "new" elements have been introduced? What kind of time perspective is he dealing with? Within this framework, what is the rate of change through time? How would you characterize Morgan's method of investigation? What is the nature of Morgan's model for social evolution? How does he deal with the process or processes (progress, evolution, and change) involved in this evolution, i.e. what factors are important in the dynamics of the system, or is it pretty much a categorical ordering of cultural differences? What kinds of units are involved in the process of evolution? Which units does he concentrate on in his analyses of the evolutionary process? What kind of model does he develop and what are the criteria for determining the stage to which a particular society (living or extinct) has attained? What is the time frame within which Morgan structures the progress of human evolution? Why is this important for the model he proposes?
4. Was Morgan a materialist? Or was he an idealist? In other words, what was the role
of material factors, including technology, in evolutionary change, vs. the role of mental
ideas or beliefs? What is the role of property in his scheme of evolution? How was the
growth of property related to changing rules of inheritance; why does Morgan consider such
growth to have had undesirable consequences?
Can Morgan legitimately be considered ethnocentric, or even racist? What doe you make of
his occasional references to "inferior peoples"? How does he explain the fact
that some people had developed less complex or technically advanced cultures than others?
Did he think that evolution had reached its apogee in 19th century Western society?
5. How does Spencer view _social phenomena_ and how do they fit into his conception of natural phenomena in general? What are the major differences between his approach and that of Morgan? How does he approach the explanation of social phenomena? What is the nature of the general criteria (integration, heterogeneity, coherence, and definiteness) used by Spencer to determine the degree, or level, of evolution achieved? What models does Spencer propose for social evolution? What are the differences between the two? Which would seem to be more useful?
6. In the short selection we read from Spencer, how does he use an organic or biological analogy to compare social groups and to propose a theory of social evolution? Would you agree that Spencer's notion of _superorganic_ pre-figures the modern concept of culture and that his use of the terms structure, function, organism and evolution can be related to modern structural-functionalism? (Bohannon & Glazer's view)
7. Hofstadter suggests that Darwinism and Spencerism were "conservative philosophies," yet at the time they were considered by many people to be radical. In what ways were they conservative and why did they become so popular in America? Is there a connection between Darwin's and Spencer's ideas and racism and imperialism?
8. What is the nature of evolutionary assumptions about: a. social phenomena and f. "primitives" how to study them g. "savage, barbarian & civilized" b. laws of development h. the "goal" of evolution c. progress i. "race" e. society j. gender
Once you are finished here, please feel free to return to the Anthropology 546 syllabus, the UNM Homepage, or the UNM Fall 1998 course listing.