Cultural relativism

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Authors
Holmes, Lowell D.(Lowell Don),1925-2010.
Advisors
Issue Date
1970
Type
Article
Keywords
Relativism , Evaluation of cultures , Customs , Inhumane treatment of political prisoners , Vietnam War, 1961-1975 --Vietnam -- Ho Chi Minh City , Ethics of anthropologists , Evaluation of customs
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Citation
Holmes, Lowell D. (1970). Cultural relativism. -- In.: Lambda Alpha Journal of Man, v.2, no.2, p.1-8
Abstract

In this article, Lowell D. Holmes’ criticizes cultural relativism in anthropology. He believes that “anthropologists must establish a standard upon which to base criticism of those forms of human behavior which threaten man as a species or do him violence either physically or mentally. Anthropology continues to like all cultures and all practices there in either because they were created by the "noble savage" or merely because they exist. Valuing all cultures equally is as unrealistic as other forms of stereotyping. Unless we have the courage and ingenuity to develop a yard stick for evaluating cultures we cannot judge the adequacy of any given culture to meet the needs and aspirations of its participants. Some cultures work better than others in sustaining human life.”

Table of Contents
Description
Publisher
Lambda Alpha Anthropology Honors Society at Wichita State University
Journal
Book Title
Series
LAJ
v.2, no.2
PubMed ID
DOI
ISSN
0047-3928
EISSN