Critical thinking requires sensitivity to different cultural perspectives, listening to the opinions of other cultures, and reflecting thoughtfully and objectively on the values of other cultures. 

Our Objectives for this activity: 

• Analyze and interpret a historical work of art, literature, philosophy, or religion.

• Examines the relevance of appropriate contexts when examining ideas.

• Effectively analyzes one's own and other's assumptions.

• Demonstrate a comprehensive synthesis or analysis of issues, ideas, artifacts, or events.

HUM1020 Prehistoric Encounters: 

These videos do not reflect the entire culture. I try to find the most extreme versions to push our boundaries. 

An (S) symbol will indicate material added by students. If you have one you would like me to add, message me or add it to any of your initial posts or replies. 

Amazon

• Stranger in the Forest: "First Contact" in the Amazon (YouTube, 8 mins)

• Ambushed by angry tribesmen - First Contact (YouTube, 5 mins) (S)

• Tribe meets white man for the first time (YouTube, 10 mins)

Hawaii

• Kapu: Sacred Hawaii Burial Space (YouTube, 4 mins)

India

• Sentinel Island India (YouTube, 10 mins)

Philippines

• The Philippines Street Food: Garbage Can Chicken / Pag Pag!!  (YouTube, 21 mins)

Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and the Bajau

• The tribe that evolved to stay underwater longer (YouTube, 5 mins) (S)

• The Mamuna Tribe and their song of Happiness (YouTube, 2 mins)

Tanzania

• Discover the Hadzabe Tribe (YouTube, 2 mins)

Turkey

• Remote village where people walk on all fours (YouTube, 15 mins)

Science meets Nature

• Reaction of two scientists ... animal not seen for 140 years (Twitter)

Zimbabwe 

• Tribe with two toes (YouTube, 21 mins) (S)

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Five-Minute Read :)

The Human Condition

By Professor Kelly Perez | Spring 2014

The Humanities seeks to understand the similarities and differences amongst ideologies, not the right and wrong ideologies. Philosophy seeks to understand our society’s ideas, and then, after much contemplation, we discuss possible answers and see what stems from the advantages and challenges of that discourse. The Presocratics shifted speculation away from the ideals of the supernatural to the natural realm of reality and knowledge as it appeared in the natural world. Socrates emphasized knowledge, virtue, and goodness in all his teachings as he searched for objective knowledge. 

To give you perspective on the Presocratics and Western Philosophy, we will begin with Xenophanes of Colophon, who lived roughly 500 years before Christ or the Before Common Era. As a predecessor to the great Greek Philosophers, he focused his ideas on the chaos of the time, something we can all relate to #2020IsRough. His Greece looked like a typical Watch of the Titans movie. Gods here, gods, their gods everywhere. Wars to the left and wars to the right, and at the center of it all, was the eternal question - why? What is our purpose? If we were going to die anyway, what was the whole point? Exploring the Human Condition is a lifelong pursuit you will tackle this week. Xenophanes looked to his corrupt leaders and flawed gods and said no! The very nature of a supreme god would be good, everlasting, ultimate, and wise. They would not be rapists or murderers who lusted after each other and caused untold trauma, as seen with the Homeric gods. The Human Condition is your task this week. --- Now that you are here on this planet -- tell me why.

The Human Condition

The Human Condition begins with investigating a culture's habits, historical events, and psychological identity, which shape the human experience. Yet before we can understand the human experience, we must first ask ourselves, what does it mean to study human conditions? Look at these beautiful dogs. What would you say about their appearance? The dogs are lean, alert, posed, and covered in fur based on their physical makeup alone.

Now, what could we say about their mental condition? According to the Canine Behavioral Center, dogs are brilliant, can interpret human signals, are social beings with a pack mentality, and, above all, see weakness as a sign of sickness and unrest. The Canine Behavioral Center observed that if a mother gives birth to seven pups and one of them is sick, she will push it away and ignore it. The key trait inherent in their DNA is survival. That’s the condition of the canine species. 

So, what is the human condition?

We’d be remiss if our philosophical look into the Human Condition didn’t include four types of philosophers: the Presocratics, The Enlighten Rationalists, The Romantics, and the Modern Nihilist. Looking at the Human Condition from each perspective will give us a cursory idea. For a more in-depth study of the question, I implore you to dig deeper into each era’s philosophy; it’s quite fascinating! 

The Human Condition as seen through Objective Greek Knowledge

Philosophy is a tool used to achieve Justified Knowledge. Looking at the figures below, can you guess where you are as students enter their first week of philosophy class?

Let me introduce you to the father of Western Philosopher Socrates and his pupil Plato.