Mid-Term Reflection on Anthropology - Essay Example

REFLECTION ON ANTHROPOLOGY Since the beginning, human beings have complained that life is becoming more complex. Civilization is a society or to some extent a culture group defined as a complex characterized by the agriculture and settlement in towns (Cremo, 16). In his book The Philosophy of Civilization, Albert Schweitzer outlined the concept that there are two opinions with society; one opinion suggesting that civilization as purely material and another regarding civilization as both ethical and material (11, 92).

Albert claims that the 1923 world crisis was as a result of humanity having lost the ethical conception of civilization. In this regard, Albert defined civilization as: “It is the sum total of all progress made by man in every sphere of action and from every point of view in so far as the progress helps towards the spiritual perfecting of individuals as the progress of all progress” (Gat, 14). Civilization determines the culture of a complex society. It has more intricate cultures such as professional art, literature, organized religion and complex customs associated with the elite.

The increased complexities in our societies today are directly related to changes in the structure and dynamics of human civilization (Hodder, 11). In addition, the complex socio-economic environment is consistent with identifying global human civilization as an organism that is able to offer protection to its components that are human beings (Peet, 41). The convoluted culture linked with civilization is characterized by the spread to and influence other cultures sometimes espousing them into civilization.

Example includes assimilation of Korean, Japan and Vietnam who were assimilated into the Chinese civilization (Gat, 77). The interdependence of human civilization on a global perspective is revealed in numerous ways that local action in one part of the world affect global behaviors (Cremo, 116). For instance, the effects of oil embargo and OPEC in the 1970s revealed the impact of oil supply from Middle East and the ever global concerns in that region; the invasion of Kuwait by Iraq in 1990 illustrated global response despite the fact that the crisis originally involved some small population (Hodder, 91).

Archeology is the scientific study of past human culture and behavior, from the time of origin to the present time (Hodder, 77). Just like civilization, archeology is a vital field of anthropology, which is the broad study of human culture and biology. Through the study of human evolution, archeology enables the appreciation of our common ancestry (Peet, 56). The discovery of thousands of distinct cultures in the archeological record demonstrates the amazing scope of human diversity. For instance; the Eskimo peoples of Arctic, the Aborigines of Australia, San people of Botswana’s Kalahari Desert and many more are a demonstration of human diversity.

In a nutshell, archeology and civilization are both important aspects that try to understand the existence of humanity from the past times to recent times. In fact, civilization and archeological revelation of ancient culture pieces together the past fragments of human endeavor and human achievement (Peet, 89). Through archeology, people can finally understand the full scope of important subject in The Origin of civilization (Giosan, 54). It is therefore important for people to understand their history, their present and understand where they are headed to.

Work citedCremo, Michael A. Forbidden Archeologys Impact. Los Angeles: Bhaktivedanta Book Pub, 1998. Print.Gat, Azar. War in Human Civilization. Oxford: OUP Oxford, 2006. Internet resource.Giosan, Liviu. Climates, Landscapes, and Civilizations. Washington, DC: GeoPress/American Geophysical Union, 2012. Internet resource.Hodder, Ian. Entangled: An Archaeology of the Relationships between Humans and Things. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2012. Internet resource.Peet, Preston. Disinformation Guide to Ancient Aliens, Lost Civilizations, Astonishing Archaeology & Hidden History.

San Francisco, CA: Disinformation, 2013. Print.