HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: goff@intruder.navo.navy.mil (Victoria Goff)
Subject: Re: Evolution in anthropology
Nntp-Posting-Host-[nntpd-26929]: intruder.navo.navy.mil
Reply-To: goff@pops.navo.navy.mil
Organization: POPS Facility Managment
Distribution: na
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 19:35:50 GMT

In article <1993Jan1.212755.6895@nmsu.edu>, bgrubb@dante.nmsu.edu (GRUBB) writes:
|> Evolution in anthropology is intresting because it is the interplay of three
|> not totally compomatable theories of evolution: Darwinian, Lamarcian, and Chaos
|> (Better know as puctulated equlibium)  Darwinian evolution works until we
|> start using tools and begin to communicate, then Lamarcian evoltion takes over.
|> Lamarcian evolution's use of 'inharence of aquired charactistics' works better
|> for informantion that Darwinian evolution.  Chaos theory starts opperating
|> at the time of sendentary groups and involves the interaction of Darwinian and
|> Lamarcian theory with the culture that has and is contiuing to evolve.
|> Chaos theory has been seen in network theory where there are forces that
|> each have there own law but whose interactions are not realably prediatable
|> but also follow a set of rules that can resemble other systems.
|> Comments welcome.

And what impact do you think that the idea that things are always evolving
to other (higher) forms means to modern culture? What do you think the
word "theory" means?

( no flames - I've kept with the subject!!! )


-v.goff 


Disclaimer - My opinions are not necessarily those of my employer.

Newsgroups: sci.anthropology
From: wismith@amelia.nas.nasa.gov (William R. Smith)
Subject: Jared Diamond's _The Third Chimpanzee_
Organization: NAS, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 93 17:42:26 GMT


One of the books I got during xmas time was Jared Diamond's "The
Third Chimpanzee".  Its a look at humans as an animal species, what's
similar about us relative to other primates, and what makes us
so different.  It includes physical anthropology, biology, archaeology,
linguistics, and ecology.  I'm about two thirds of the way through and
enjoying it immensely.

The following exerpt comes from a discussion about why humans 
are unique in their reproductive strategy.  Diamond lists several
popular theories by scientists of different disciplines and discusses
strong and weak points of these theories.  The theory under
discussion is that concealed ovulation and private copulation
are useful in avoiding conflict within the local society.  

In my mind I saw this as a Saturday Night Live or Monty Python
routine.

	...consider the following scene from an imaginary soap opera,
	showing what life would be like for us modern hunter-gatherers
	if we did not have concealed ovulation and private copulation. 
	Our soap opera stars Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice and Ralph
	and Jane.  Bob, Alice, Ralph and Jane work together in an office
	where the men hunt contracts and the women gather accounts
	payable.  Ralph is married to Jane.  Bob's wife is Carol, and
	Alice's husband is Ted.  Carol and Ted work elsewhere.

	One morning, Alice and Jane both discover on awakening that
	they have turned bright red in order to advertise impending
	ovulation and sexual receptivity.  Alice and Ted make love
	at home before they go off in their separate directions to
	work.  Jane and Ralph go together to work, where they copulate
	occasionally on the office sofa in the presence of their
	coworkers.

	Bob cannot help lusting for Alice and Jane when he sees them
	bright red and sees Jane and Ralph copulating.  He is unable
	to concentrate on his work.  He repeatedly propositions Jane
	and Alice.

	Ralph drives Bob away from Jane.

	Alice is faithful to Ted and rejects Bob, but the hassle also
	interferes with her work.

	All day, Carol in her office elsewhere is seething with jealousy
	at the thought of Alice and Jane, because Carol knows that
	Alice and Jane are bright red and attractive to Bob, while
	she (Carol) is not.

	As a result, the office succeeds in bagging few contracts and
	accounts.  In the meantime, other offices, where ovulation is
	concealed and where copulation is private, prosper.  Eventually,
	Bob, Alice, Ralph and Jane's office goes extinct.  The only
	office that survive are those with concealed ovulation and
	copulation.



William Smith
Intel, SSD
Newsgroups: sci.anthropology
From: martini@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (ok)
Newsgroups: sci.anthropology
Subject: Re: Have you heard of any good...
Date: 8 Jan 93 17:43:19 GMT
Organization: The University of Texas at Austin, Austin TX


so does that mean that women who had spiritual power/influence in tribes
and cultures described as primative (as always, a horrible word for the
concept) just didnt want to be known by strangers/researchers, or that the
researchers who found them didnt have a catagory to put them, and treated
them as of no more "merit" than midwives?  are there any good interviews
or collections of similar encounters with midwives from all cultures?
does anyone care about these women who were at the birth of *everyone*,
before midwives were replaced by hospitals and alms houses??

or would some anthology on the history of women be a place to go?

questions, questions..

one more:  Gil, where in Australia are you, generally?  I've only been to
the east coast down by ya, and even then, not really near any Aboriginal
cultures.. are the politics and culutre and identity of Aborigines uniform
across the entire continent?

ok, that was two..
sheilagh
Newsgroups: sci.anthropology
From: msteiner@silver.ucs.indiana.edu (marge steiner)
Subject: Re: Cultural Appropriation and the New Age
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1993 22:17:06 GMT

     One thing that strikes me is that the New age Movement
came to prominence when it did--in the 1980's.  While I
don't want to generalize too much, the movement seems to be
all-too-frequently characterized by a self-absorption and a
complacency, and many of the adherents are
professionals--doctors, architects, and the like.  I can
tell you about my experience with one new-age teacher whose
workshop I attended at the recommendation of a friend when I
was in psychological crisis.  

     As I mentioned, most of the particiants were
professionals who were unquestioningly buying into his
philosophy  As is consonant with many eastern religions, he
was saying that if things don't work out this time, they
will work out in subsequent lives, because we arae all
evolving.  He also said that God is neither good nor evil.
He just is.  I asked, "what about the Holocaust?"  His
response was that the victims had to learn about being
victims and the persecutors had to learn about being
persecutors.  I then asked, "If things are the way they're
supposed to be, does that mean I'm supposed to sit around
and do nothing when I see inuustice?"  His response was that
it is implrtant for you as a personality to do what you're
doing.  

     Another tenet of his teachings is that we are all God
and can control events.  So, if things work out, they were
meant to be, but if they don't, we weresomehow responsible
but that since we're evolving, things will work out next
time.  This sort of philosophy, it seems to me, really
justifies meism and complacency.  

     That was a personal, and rather negative response, to
one teacher.  However, I do think that the Movement raises
many questions, and I think that the notion of appropriation
of other cultures' spirituality needs to be addressed, both
as an anthropological phenomenon and from an ethical
standpoint.  If we want to address this subject on a more
intellectual plane, I am aware of a new book by Danforth
Lorring {or is it Lorring Danforth?}  It has to do with
fire-walking and Religious Healing in the New Age.  He,
himself, was a participant-obsesrver.  I'm not sure I have
the exaact title, but maybe some of us could agree to read
it and carry on  a book discussion via this newsgroup.

        Marge
From: saracen@netlink.cts.com (Ann Olson)
Newsgroups: sci.anthropology
Subject: Re: Have you heard of any good...
Date: 7 Jan 93 22:03:36 GMT
Organization: NetLink Online Communications, San Diego CA

martini@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (ok) writes:

> *female* shamen?  As in, women with the role of shaman, not just midwives?
> 
> All sorts of anthro types that I ask seem to think "Yeah, there are such
> critters.." but dont seem to *know* of any, so the question is put to you..
> 

Are you looking for live ones ... or anthropological studies on female 
shamans?

I could possibly direct you to one, or possibly more of them if you wish 
to speak with some living examples (however I add this warning ... most 
of those who follow this path tend to not admit it, so they may be rather 
difficult to convince to speak out) ... but I do not know of any studies 
on the particular subject. Anyone else wish to add thier $0.02 ?

Ann

--                    
INTERNET:  saracen@netlink.cts.com (Ann Olson)
UUCP:   ...!ryptyde!netlink!saracen
NetLink Online Communications * Public Access in San Diego, CA (619) 453-1115
From: sproles@pine.circa.ufl.edu (SPROLES)
Newsgroups: sci.anthropology
Subject: Critics of NIH funding of alternative medicine wary of anthropology
Date: 10 Jan 93 14:04:04 GMT
Reply-To: sproles@pine.circa.ufl.edu
Distribution: usa
Organization: University of Florida  (ufl.edu)
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.3-4


Well, I was having Sunday morning coffee and reading the local newspaper when I
spotted this article..."NIH to explore 'alternative medicine'" byline from the
NEW YORK TIMES by Natalie Angier.  (My local paper picks up a lot of stuff off
the "wires").

The gist of the story, 2 million bucks for a new Office of Alternative Medicine
at NIH.  Very favorable review until reporting of some of the criticisms of the
new office took a downturn...I quote..
  "But some worry that if the office grows in influence, it may siphon money
from mainstream science.  The call for grant proposals is so broad and is so
open to such a wide spectrum of specialists, from statisticians to 
anthropologists, that some researchers worry it could be casting call for
quacks."

anthropologists...quacks????
statisticians...quacks???
Only enquiring minds want to know.

Another treatment by the mainstream press that just doesn't know what medical
anthropology really could do.  I feel that it is up to us, the quacks, to tell
them what we do is legit...what do you think?
From: v187ef4y@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Patrick J Crowe)
Newsgroups: sci.anthropology
Subject: Re: Have you heard of any good...
Date: 8 Jan 93 19:59:00 GMT
Organization: University at Buffalo
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

In article <86334@ut-emx.uucp>, martini@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (ok) writes...
> 
>. . .  are there any good interviews
>or collections of similar encounters with midwives from all cultures?
>does anyone care about these women who were at the birth of *everyone*,
>before midwives were replaced by hospitals and alms houses??
> 
>or would some anthology on the history of women be a place to go?
> 
>questions, questions..
> 

As always, a good source if one knows the topic they're interested in is the
Human Relations Area Files (HRAF).  This group has, over the past few decades,
hired people to read *lots* of ethnographic material, and write a bunch of
numbers in the margin which id what is being discussed in each sentance or
paragraph.  The files (there might be a complete set at UTex) consist of the
original sources, as well as photocopies of each page grouped by topic. Soooo, 
instead of having to page through volumes of material, you can read up on just
what is of interest.  A great time saver.

>. . . are the politics and culutre and identity of Aborigines uniform
>across the entire continent?
> 

No.  If you can find one, look at a linguistic map of Australia.  About 80%
of the island is one language, but up in the Northern Territory there are
some 20-30 different languages.  (don't flame me; I know lang=cult is not a
perfect one-to-one correspondence)

>sheilagh

-Pat Crowe
Disclaimer: I have every intention of making my living stating the obvious.
From: jack@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk (Jack Campin)
Newsgroups: sci.anthropology
Subject: Re: Have you heard of any good...
Date: 8 Jan 93 15:55:52 GMT
Reply-To: jack@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk (Jack Campin)
Organization: COMANDOS Project, Glesga Yoonie

martini@ccwf.cc.utexas.edu (ok) wrote:
> *female* shamen?  As in, women with the role of shaman, not just midwives?
> All sorts of anthro types that I ask seem to think "Yeah, there are such
> critters.." but dont seem to *know* of any, so the question is put to you..

One documented one is Maria Sabina, the curandera who introduced R. Gordon
Wasson to psychedelic mushrooms.  Try Wasson's book for the details.

-- 
--  Jack Campin    room G092, Computing Science Department, Glasgow University,
17 Lilybank Gardens, Glasgow G12 8RZ, Scotland   TEL: 041 339 8855 x6854 (work)
INTERNET: jack@dcs.glasgow.ac.uk or via nsfnet-relay.ac.uk    FAX: 041 330 4913
BANG!net: via mcsun and uknet     BITNET: via UKACRL    UUCP: jack@glasgow.uucp
Newsgroups: sci.anthropology
From: claird@NeoSoft.com (Cameron Laird)
Subject: [SOC] Trans-culturality:  themes of liminal space and domestication [LONG]
Organization: NeoSoft Communications Services -- (713) 684-5900
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 00:05:54 GMT

One point that has arisen tangentially in a number of recent
discussions, which I wish to underline, is this:  in much of
human affairs, it is *not* unusual to bridge cultures.  We
moderns tend to forget this.

There's still a bit of life in the is-horticulture-or-herding-
more-primitive? discussion, but discussants need to understand
that we have no models for pastoralism in isolation.  All the
well-attested ethnographies of pastoralists are of cultures
which interact in fundamental ways with their neighbors--trade,
raiding, apprenticeship, kinship, and so on.  Inhabitants of
late 20th-century cyberspace misapprehend their own cosmopoli-
tanism:  in global media-mediated culture, it is chic to
listen to a South African singer, recorded on Dutch tape,
transcribed by Japanese equipment, and so on.  We applaud
ourselves for our broad horizons.  In some ways, though, this
journey demands less subtlety and maturity than one which
moves five miles inland from the Caspian Sea, or Lake Winni-
peg, or the Bay of Biscay.  It often is not "praise-worthy"
for "traditional peoples" to speak several languages, to know
how to behave in the presence of princes and paupers, to
adjust the hems of their jackets for different fashions, or
to show good courtesy whether eating fish or fowl, flesh or
fruit; these are matters of daily life.

I conjecture that this explains some of Gil Hardwick's fre-
quent ill humor.  On the one hand, he reads of college
sophomores who grapple with such grave matters as whether
to enroll in sociology or psychology; on the other, he has
lived most of his life with people (both in Australia and
China) who, while nominally impoverished, know how to move
across whole continents, survive in radically different
cultural milieux, and take responsibility for construction
of their own lives and societies.  A bit of impatience
mightn't be out of order.

I submit positive propositions:  perhaps what is human is
not merely to bear a culture, but to be able to choose be-
tween several cultures, as situations warrant.  Let us honor:
the trader, for whom, as Gil has recently written me,
"[f]acing *risk*, developing relationships, and YES a desire
to see every one of one's friends, associates and acquantances
*prosper*, is the very essence"; the nomad, always a stranger
in a strange land, the vector of invention and destruction,
buboes and luxuries, honor and arrogance; and the fisherman,
who teaches those who remain at home how hostilely indiffer-
ent, and how abundantly wealthy, the larger world is.

Thanks to J. Fraser and P. Christian for setting me to think-
ing about some of these topics.  I recant, by the way, my
belief that English is a creole--provisionally, until I can
study it more.
-- 

Cameron Laird
claird@Neosoft.com (claird%Neosoft.com@uunet.uu.net)	+1 713 267 7966
claird@litwin.com (claird%litwin.com@uunet.uu.net)  	+1 713 996 8546
From: menzer@world.std.com (Randy G Menzer)
Subject: Re: EDUCORP  
Organization: The World Public Access UNIX, Brookline, MA
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 23:23:58 GMT



I don't have EDUCORP's number, but if they truly have an 800 #, call
1-800-555-1212.  This is 800 directory service.  It should be a free
call...  Just ask for EDUCORP's number.
Newsgroups: sci.edu,misc.education
From: lamoran@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca (L.A. Moran)
Subject: Smart kids
Organization: UTCS Public Access
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 21:52:24 GMT



In a thread that was discussing the value of sports and other extra-curricular
activities, Pete Lancashire wrote,

    "Athletics (that's what was mentioned here) can provide that along 
     with other experiences that can teach him as much as any classroom 
     ever could."

and Brian K. Yoder replied,

     "Such as? Brutality uber alles? The superior value of social 
      consensus over reason? Please explain these valuable lessons and 
      why they are so terribly important. I hear platitudes like that 
      all the time, but I seldom hear any kind of explanation attached."

As a matter of fact the value of "social consensus" and co-operation are
important lessons that can be learned from playing team sports. Students
can get a taste of what it is like to be part of a group and to work for
the common good rather than the individual. Even if their parents are 
rabid anti-socialists they should recognize that this is a valuable
learning experience. And since when have "social consensus" and "reason"
been in conflict? I think that your prejudices are showing! (-:

I also believe that it is important to keep fit (I am not) and to instill
a sense of caring for your body. There are many sports where the emphasis
is on fitness, gymnastics for example. I find that my children have
learned a lot about self discipline from their involvement in sports. They
have been taught how to deal with success (ie. winning) and failure
(ie. losing) far more efficiently than is possible by sitting in a classroom.

Brian, I'm sorry that you have only been exposed to coaches who do not care
about children. They are many other coaches who are much more conscientious.
Have you ever watched a child successfully complete a difficult gymnastic
routine or achieve a personal best in the high jump? Have you ever watched
a soccer team work smoothly together to move the ball to the opponent's end?
These achievements require the development of skills that are every bit as
important in life as the ability to parse sentences and solve differential
equations. They are also a clear demonstration of good coaching and good
learning. Maybe you should go to the next city wide track and field meet or 
swimming and diving competition to see what is really going on in the high
schools. I suspect that your point of view is based on a few male dominated
violent sports that may not be representative. 

In addition, let's not forget other extra-curricular activities such as 
working for the school newspaper, playing in the band, belonging to the 
science club, and acting in the school play. Do I need to explain the value 
of these activities or will such values also be dismissed as "platitudes"?

Larry Moran

Newsgroups: sci.edu
From: csummers@bnr.ca  (Chuck Summers)
Subject: previous post
Reply-To: csummers@bnr.ca
Organization: BNR Atlanta, Access Systems Development
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 16:43:22 GMT

I noticed that my previous post had the wrong From:. Note the
corrected header.  

Anyone wishing to communicate with me should do so via
csummers@bnr.ca.

Charles E. Summers, PE
Member Scientific Staff
Bell Northern Research



Newsgroups: sci.edu
From: momotaro@cwis.unomaha.edu (Bryan Stack)
Subject: Re: Edmund Scientific Address?
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Date: Wed, 6 Jan 1993 21:47:07 GMT

finnegan@invader.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Kenneth Finnegan) writes:

>Does anyone have the address of the Edmund Scientific Co.?
>Assuming, of course, they are still in business.  I haven't
>seen one of their catalogs in years.  Please e-mail.

>Thanks,

>Kenneth
>finnegan@navo.navy.mil

I just received their 1993 Annual Refernce Catalog for Optics, Science
and Education in today's mail.  The address is:

		Edmund Scientific Company
		101 E. Gloucester Pike
		Barrington NJ 08007-1380

		Customer service number 1-609-573-6260

Bryan Stack, Government Documents Librarian, University Library
University of Nebraska at Omaha, Omaha NE 68182-0237 USA
Email: momotaro@cwis.unomaha.edu   Phone: 402-554-3258   FAX: 402-554-3215
Newsgroups: sci.edu,misc.education
From: lamoran@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca (L.A. Moran)
Subject: Dumb school administrators and parents
Organization: UTCS Public Access
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 21:51:25 GMT

In an earlier posting I mentioned that my two children were in high school
and that they were involved in sports and music. I pointed out that is
was probably not worthwhile for them to drop these activities in order
to spend more time on traditional academic subjects.

Herman Rubin writes;

     "FORGET THE GRADES. Unless the school is very unusual, they are 
      getting a garbage education. Even somewhat bright children are 
      being totally shortchanged by the imbecilic curriculum now being 
      taught.

      But do they have any idea of the intellectual content they are 
      missing? A reasonably good student is capable of learning many 
      times what is now being taught in the schools without working 
      very hard. Especially the basic conceptual material, which is 
      even more submerged under memorization than in the past."

My children attend a public high school in a suburb of Toronto. They are
getting an excellent education - I am very impressed. Both of them are
being challenged in school by teachers who have expanded on the basic
curriculum for bright students. In addition their learning is not confined
to school - they have intellectual interests that they pursue outside of
the class room. 

Herman Rubin continues,

     "But they are being deprived of the pleasure of learning! Has it 
      already gone to the point where they are no longer capable of the 
      mental processes which they could do easily as small children? This
      is not facetious; the ability to think in terms of structure, 
      almost totally absent in the current excuse for an educational 
      system, and only recently "objectively" demonstrated as being 
      present in the very young, IS beyond the capability of the great 
      bulk of present school teachers."

Your experience is obviously very different from mine. My children's teachers
have been excellent. They are well paid professionals who take their jobs
seriously. While I can't claim that they are perfect, they are at least as
good as any other group of professionals that I have been in contact with.
This includes University teachers, such as myself, and business types in the 
private sector. 

Herman, I know that you have a very low opinion of the educational system
in the United States but I am aware of many excellent public school systems
scattered across the country. It is not fair to criticize all teachers on the
basis of your own experience and prejudices against publically funded
institutions.

Larry Moran
From: clumsden@TrentU.CA (cam lumsden)
Subject: Re: EDUCORP  
Reply-To: clumsden@TrentU.CA
Organization: Trent University, Peterborough
Date: Thu, 7 Jan 1993 03:12:34 GMT

In article <MENZER.93Jan6182358@world.std.com>, menzer@world.std.com (Randy G Menzer) writes:
>
>
>I don't have EDUCORP's number, but if they truly have an 800 #, call
>1-800-555-1212.  This is 800 directory service.  It should be a free
>call...  Just ask for EDUCORP's number.


Thanks, but I tried this and there was no listing for "EDUCORP"