Question

_______ is the idea proposed by Franz Boas that each culture must be understood within its own context in terms of its own values and beliefs and not by the standards of another culture.

Answer 1

Cultural relativism is the concept introduced by Franz Boas that calls for evaluating cultures based on their own standards. It opposes ethnocentric views and acknowledges that cultures evolve through unique historical trajectories and constant interactions.

Step-by-step explanation:

The idea proposed by Franz Boas that each culture must be understood within its own context in terms of its own values and beliefs and not by the standards of another culture is known as cultural relativism. Cultural relativism asserts that one should assess a culture based on its own standards rather than through the lens of one's own culture.Franz Boas, a pioneer in the field of anthropology, challenged the ethnocentric and racist theories of his time that labeled cultures as primitive or civilized according to a unilineal evolution model. Instead, Boas promoted the idea that cultures develop through interactions with one another, each following its own unique historical path. This perspective laid the foundation for understanding and appreciating the rich diversity of human societies without imposing one standard as the benchmark for progress or development.By advocating for cultural relativism, Boas and his followers paved the way for anthropologists to document and understand the vast array of human cultural experiences across racial, ethnic, linguistic, and socioeconomic boundaries, promoting a deeper respect for the intrinsic value of each distinct culture.