Primitive culture: researches into the development of mythology, philosophy, religion, art, and custom

by Edward Burnett Tylor

Book by Tylor, Edward Burnett

Genres: Anthropology, Philosophy, Nonfiction, History, Cultural, Religion, Mythology

2 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1974

About the author

Sir Edward Burnett Tylor, FRAI, was the first Professor of Anthropology at Oxford University, and is considered the father of cultural anthropology via his publication of Primitive Culture in 1871. That same year he was elected a Fellow of the Riyal Society, and served as President of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, 1879–80.

Reviews

[Peiman E iran · Rating 5 out of 5]

دوستانِ گرانقدر، « ادوارد تیلر» در این کتاب به پژوهش هایش در خصوصِ موضوعِ « فرهنگِ بدوی» پرداخته، و به این نتیجه رسیده که انسان هایِ بدوی و اولیه قادر نبودند تا رویا را از پدیده هایِ حقیقی در زندگی تشخیص بدهند، و فکر میکردند که هیچکس فانی نخواهد بود و آنهایی که می میرند، به ویژه افرادِ معروف در اجتماع، در دنیایِ دیگر و به گونه و شکل دیگری به زندگی ادامه میدهند... بر پایۀ این تئوری انسانهایِ نخستین با مشاهدۀ مردگان در خواب به این باور رسیدند که روح و یا شبحِ کسانی که می میرند، پس از مرگِ بدن، به زندگی ادامه خواهند داد... « تیلر» در پژوهش هایِ خود دربارۀ پیدایشِ دین و مذهب به این نتیجه رسید که انسان های بدوی و نخستین عقیده داشتند که نه تنها انسان، بلکه حیوانات، گیاهان، سنگها، دریاها و رودخانه ها، کوها و کوه هایِ آتشفشانی و حتی هوا نیز دارایِ روح و شبح هستند... بنا بر اعتقاداتِ انسان هایِ بدوی، این روح ها دارایِ شخصیت بودند و می توانستند برایِ انسانهایِ زنده مفید و یا مضّر باشند... بنابراین، انسانهایِ بیچاره و ساده لوح با دعا و قربانی کردن، کوشش می کردند که نه تنها زندگیِ خود را در برابرِ آزارِ آنها امن نگاه دارند، بلکه توجه آنها را به سویِ خود جلب کنند و کمکِ آنها را در حلِ مشکلات خود یاری جویند... این روشِ « مرده پرستی» یا « شبح پرستی» که ریشه و پایۀ ادیان و مذاهبِ نخستینِ انسانها به شمار میرفت، به تدریج گسترش پیدا کرد و سرانجام سبب شد که بشر به اختراع خدایان دست بزند

حال پس از هزاران هزارسال و پیشرفتِ دانش و تمدنِ انسانها، هنوز که هنوز است اکثرِ ساکنینِ سرزمینِ ما خرافاتی و « قبر پرست» و « شبح پرست» هستند
به امید آن روز که آگاهی در تک تکِ ساکنینِ سرزمینِ پاکم « ایران» ایجاد شود
پیروز باشید و ایرانی

[Patricia Woodruff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Tylor mentions many obscure customs that can shed new light on how things were perceived in the past. He lists interesting cross-cultural traditions regarding sneezing and yawning, foundation sacrifices and more. He speculates on the origins of language and imitative sounds as well as the origins of numbers. Tylor lists various accounts of soul journeying and “second sight”. I find Tylor’s information useful but his condescending views of “primitive culture” annoying, since I see the old viewpoints as just a different way to perceive the world. (I think he used every synonym for crude, rude, primitive, backward, savage, barbaric, degenerate, etc!) So Tylor misses a lot in his distain for “lesser cultures” but if you can get past that there’s some useful info here.

[Christopher Byram · Rating 3 out of 5]

I discovered this book when it was mentioned in the introduction of Sir James George Frazer's The Golden Bough. In 1883, he accepted an invitation by the psychologist James Ward to accompany him on a walking tour of Spain, where Ward lent him a copy of this book. The effect was instantaneous, and the book gripped Frazer from the beginning.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lot of interesting stuff in this dusty victorian tome. Read the majority of this for a project and can't recommend it. Any evidence brought forward is likely not valid, and his theory of development even less so. Tylor was most frequently an armchair anthropologist who (with his seat and roof secured by a successful parent) hoarded data gathered almost exclusively by missionaries. Avidly anti-racist, he offered a calmer prejudice. As far as victorians go, the man was more sensitive than most.

In his writing he offers a clear glimpse into social evolutionist thought. Read if you like that kind of stuff but maybe dont wanna go as far as to read Herbert Spencer.

[Michael Patton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Considering the time in which it was written, this book reads very well. In fact, I breezed through most of it while waiting for the electrician one day, years ago. Full disclosure: I am an animist (among other things). And yet I don't count Tylor as an influence.

[MARIO BASTOS]

https://mega.nz/file/SmIyTAxQ#EWgtonT...