Cultural anthropologist Adam Kuper characterizes the intellectual trends that emerged during the Enlightenment into three schools. Name one of these schools and explain its core ideas.

Question

What will be an ideal response?

Answer 1

Students should be able to name and explain the core ideas of one of the three schools, which may be one of the following: (1) The enlightened view of the French (views culture as a progressive, cumulative, and distinctly human achievement; everyone could evolve to civilization and as such territorial expansion would provide cultural opportunity to those they encountered by giving them the option to embrace civilization); (2) the romantic or counter-Enlightenment view of the Germans (viewed culture as distinguished by natural and spiritual sources; this view was greatly influenced by the Reformation of the Christian church and promoted a more egalitarian view of Christianity; the Germans thought that people should not be required to aspire to others’ notions of civilization and that the authenticity of their culture should be preserved); or (3) the traditional views of the English (relied on the classical view of the world and focused on history and traditions; they were similar to the French and believed that their practices were superior and should be adopted by all they encountered, which was mirrored in their pursuit of a colonial empire worldwide).