ARH 390 Methodology - 1 Animals are Good to Think

Sican Huari Chimu / Inca Nasca

Kwakiutl

Human beings are symbolic animals, hence both creators and creatures of culture. The symbolic systems constructed by human beings are not simply changes rung upon some universal matrix, itself sprung from the given of physics. Israel Scheffler

It follows the same principle with symbolic and sacred things, animals, plants or concepts. They all must have their place. In fact, it can even be said that these subjects or things have a sacred or symbolic value because, they are in their place and it is their position, that make their value. If they were taken out of their place, the whole symbolic construct would collapse. Sacred objects therefore contribute to the maintenance of order in the universe by occupying the places allocated to them. Lévi-Strauss, The Savage Mind

Hamatsa initiation 1902

Hamatsa Masks

Hamatsa Mask

What is the virtue of reduction either of scale or in the number of properties? It seems to result from a sort of reversal in the process of understanding. To understand a real object in its totality we always tend to work from its parts. The resistance it offers us is overcome by dividing it. Reduction in scale reverses this situation. Being smaller the object as a whole seems less formidable. By being quantitatively diminished, it seems to us qualitatively simplified. Lévi-Strauss 1996[1962]: 23

Signs stands for something else, for things and ideas that they refer to. For example the representation of a temple or an individual in a given scene would stand for the real object or human. Then the real thing represented by the picture is known as the signified, object or referent. Signifier / Sign Signified / Real Thing

Three basic units of a Sign 1- Iconic : the thing look like the thing signified.

Three basic units of a Sign 1- Iconic : the thing look like the thing signified. 2- Indexical : The index focuses the attention to which it refers.

Three basic units of a Sign 1- Iconic : the thing look like the thing signified. 2- Indexical : The index focuses the attention to which it refers. 3- Symbolic : the symbol has no evident connection to the idea it represents except through a specific set of conventions.

Signs are organized together in the form of codes. A code is a pattern according to which information is arranged in a meaningful way by the maker of the message. Signifier Sign Signifier Sign