Franz Boas
Franz Boas
Franz Uri Boas was a German-American anthropologist and a pioneer of modern anthropology who has been called the "Father of American Anthropology". His work is associated with the movement of anthropological historicism...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionScientist
Date of Birth9 July 1858
CityMinden, Germany
CountryUnited States of America
teaching mind may
I object to teaching of slogans intended to befog the mind, of whatever kind they may be
teaching relative-value other-cultures
Its [the anthropological method] power to make us understand the roots from which our civilization has sprung, that it impresses us with the relative value of all forms of culture, and thus serves as a check to an exaggerated valuation of the standpoint of our own period, which we are only too liable to consider the ultimate goal of human evolution, thus depriving ourselves of the benefits to be gained from the teachings of other cultures and hindering an objective criticism of our own work.
american-scientist character influence phenomena physical result
Ethnological phenomena are the result of the physical and psychical character of men, and of its development under the influence of the surroundings.
against american-scientist democracy doubt modern needed reaction wholesome
Modern democracy was no doubt the most wholesome and needed reaction against the abuses of absolutism and of a selfish, often corrupt, bureaucracy.
activities actual american-scientist apparently brought clearly developed emphasized man might reasonable
This idea was also brought out very clearly by Wallace, who emphasized that apparently reasonable activities of man might very well have developed without an actual application of reasoning.
american-scientist essence life
Not so the scientist. The very essence of his life is the service of truth.
american-scientist determined interested living mental social
In other words, we are interested in the anatomical and mental characteristics of men living under the same biological, geographical, and social environment, and as determined by their past.
american-scientist areas considered discuss found groups interested man mental social traits
We do not discuss the anatomical, physiological, and mental characteristics of man considered as an individual; but we are interested in the diversity of these traits in groups of men found in different geographical areas and in different social classes.
strong party years
In France, that let down the barriers more than a hundred years ago, the feeling of antipathy is still strong enough to sustain an anti-Jewish political party
broken parent dogma
My parents had broken through the shackles of dogma
research scientist results
We all know scientists who in private life do not come up to the standard of truthfulness, but who, nevertheless, would not consciously falsify the results of their researches
mind development facts
Anthropology has reached that point of development where the careful investigation of facts shakes our firm belief in the far-reaching theories that have been built up. The complexity of each phenomenon dawns on our minds, and makes us desirous of proceeding more cautiously. Heretofore we have seen the features common to all human thought
father home emotional
My father had retained an emotional affection for the ceremonial of his parental home, without allowing it to influence his intellectual freedom
people migration study
Furthermore, the study of the present surroundings is insufficient: the history of the people, the influence of the regions through which it has passed on its migrations, and the people with whom it came into contact, must be considered