The drawbacks of Unilinear Cultural Evolution models Howard Culbertson Southern Nazarene University Cultural Anthropology.

The drawbacks of The drawbacks of Unilinear Cultural Unilinear Cultural Evolution modelsEvolution models

The drawbacks of The drawbacks of Unilinear Cultural Unilinear Cultural Evolution modelsEvolution models

Howard CulbertsonHoward Culbertson

Southern Nazarene UniversitySouthern Nazarene University

Cultural AnthropologyCultural Anthropology

Cultural evolution modelsCultural evolution modelsCultural evolution modelsCultural evolution models

•Assume that all cultures developed along one unilinear path

•Line up all cultures on a single development or “success” scale

•See cultures progressing upward toward perfection

The picture in our mindsThe picture in our mindsThe picture in our mindsThe picture in our minds

““Civilized”Civilized”

“Primitive”

L.H. Morgan, 1818-1881L.H. Morgan, 1818-1881L.H. Morgan, 1818-1881L.H. Morgan, 1818-1881

• Student of American Student of American Indian culturesIndian cultures

• A founder of A founder of “anthropology” as “anthropology” as scientific field of scientific field of studystudy

Morgan: a child of his timeMorgan: a child of his timeMorgan: a child of his timeMorgan: a child of his time

• Morgan was contemporary Morgan was contemporary of biologist Charles Darwin of biologist Charles Darwin (1809-1882)(1809-1882)

L.H. Morgan’s “Stages”L.H. Morgan’s “Stages”L.H. Morgan’s “Stages”L.H. Morgan’s “Stages”

Morgan saw all cultures Morgan saw all cultures evolving through three evolving through three stagesstages

– SavagerySavagery

– BarbarismBarbarism

– CivilizationCivilization

Cultural evolution modelsCultural evolution modelsCultural evolution modelsCultural evolution models

• Every element of culture Every element of culture moves from simple to moves from simple to complexcomplex

• From “primitive” (tribal) to From “primitive” (tribal) to “civilized” (modern “civilized” (modern Western)Western)

Pyramid of human developmentPyramid of human developmentPyramid of human developmentPyramid of human development

Higher civilizationHigher civilization

CivilizationCivilization

Lower civilizationLower civilization

Higher barbarismHigher barbarism

BarbarismBarbarism

Lower barbarismLower barbarism

Higher savageryHigher savagery

SavagerySavagery

Lower savageryLower savagery

Drawback Number OneDrawback Number OneDrawback Number OneDrawback Number One

• ““Cultural evolution” Cultural evolution” thought focuses on thought focuses on material cultural productsmaterial cultural products– Example: Morgan traced “evolution” Example: Morgan traced “evolution”

of dwellingsof dwellings

Questions for reflectionQuestions for reflectionQuestions for reflectionQuestions for reflection

• Is culture only -- or even Is culture only -- or even essentially -- technology essentially -- technology and material products?and material products?

• What about worldviews?What about worldviews?

• What about language?What about language?

Drawback Number TwoDrawback Number TwoDrawback Number TwoDrawback Number Two

• Modern Western culture is Modern Western culture is held up as the pinnacle of held up as the pinnacle of cultural developmentcultural development– Analysis made from etic viewpointAnalysis made from etic viewpoint

Ethnocentric issuesEthnocentric issuesEthnocentric issuesEthnocentric issues

•““They” are not very good They” are not very good at what we are best atat what we are best at

•By evaluating “them” on By evaluating “them” on what we are best at, we what we are best at, we miss what they handle miss what they handle more competently than wemore competently than we

Drawback Number ThreeDrawback Number ThreeDrawback Number ThreeDrawback Number Three

• Cultural evolution models Cultural evolution models lump together all societies lump together all societies displaying certain displaying certain characteristicscharacteristics

Drawback Number FourDrawback Number FourDrawback Number FourDrawback Number Four

• Cultural Evolution often Cultural Evolution often posits a progressive rise in posits a progressive rise in human rationalityhuman rationality– Some cultures get labeled as “child-Some cultures get labeled as “child-

like” and others as “mature” in their like” and others as “mature” in their thinkingthinking

– Assumes primitive / developed Assumes primitive / developed languageslanguages

Question for reflectionQuestion for reflectionQuestion for reflectionQuestion for reflection

• Paul Hiebert: “Are modern Paul Hiebert: “Are modern people really all that people really all that logical? Did (or do) tribals logical? Did (or do) tribals think in simplistic, think in simplistic, prelogical terms?”prelogical terms?”