Is anthropology the Fundamental Discipline concerned with Humans?

Anthropology, according to the literal definition is an academic discipline for the study of human beings (anthro means human beings and logy means to study). It studies human under other biological, cultural, economical, and social layers. It is a study focusing on all the aspects of human beings, i.e., how he envisions the world, society and life. In anthropological studies, ethnographers study all facets of human life within a small area and study their history, beliefs and local cultures that influence their worldviews. (Geertz, p 37)

            Anthropology is the fundamental discipline concerned with humans, as it examines all the aspects of human life within contexts and origins. It studies human beings under scientific methodologies in order to analyze factors that influence the society and development in human intellectual capacities. Thus, anthropology is said to be the holistic discipline with which all the dimension of human life, material, technological, social, cultural, historical, biological, aesthetical and moral aspects are studied. (Angrosino, p 1-2)

            Human beings are complex organisms and to study human life in detail, anthropologists studies characteristics of human beings and their impact on other human beings by living and spending time with the local community himself. In this way an anthropologist is closer to the individual and in a better position to integrate lives of a particular society, which otherwise only become ideas or theories. (Scullin, 2009)

            Study of anthropology, encourages research and critical analysis of human lives. In all the subdivisions say linguistic, physical or cultural, an anthropologist studies individual society with an eye of an insider not as an outsider. In this way, anthropology is the vital tool for the study of human civilization across ages and boundaries. (Encyclopedia, 2008)

Works Cited

Angrosino, Michael V. The essentials of anthropology, 1990, Research & Education Assoc.

Encyclopedia, New World, Anthropology, 2008, as retrieved on April 30, 2009, http://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Ethnography

Geertz, Clifford. Interpretations of Culture, 1973, Persues Book Group, Printed in United States of America,

Scullin, Michael. Anthropology, written for About.com, 2009, as retrieved on April 30, 2009, http://archaeology.about.com/od/aterms/g/anthropology.htm