Final answer:
The author of "The Hunter: Scarce Resources in the Kalahari" implicitly assumes that a deep spiritual connection to the divine is common among human cultures, particularly among hunter-gatherers. This spirituality is manifested in animism, ritualistic hunting, and respect for the natural world, providing a foundation for these societies' worldviews and, by extension, their cultural values and social dynamics.
Step-by-step explanation:
The idea that the author of "The Hunter: Scarce Resources in the Kalahari" took for granted regarding humans' proximity to divine powers appears to stem from the underlying belief that spirituality and a connection with the supernatural are intrinsic to human cultures, especially in the context of hunter-gatherer societies. The texts suggest that hunter-gatherers, including our Paleolithic ancestors and contemporary indigenous cultures like the Rock Cree and the Netsilik people, view their world as filled with spiritual significance—an interconnected universe where natural phenomena, animals, and even the environment hold divine importance.
This spirituality is evident in practices such as respectful hunting rituals, beliefs in animal reincarnation, and rituals to seduce animal spirits, which in turn shape their social structures, values, and interactions with the world around them. These beliefs have not only persisted through the ages but have also provided these cultures with a framework for understanding the natural world and their place within it, reflecting a complex and profound relationship with the natural and supernatural worlds that contrast sharply with the views of more industrialized societies.
Furthermore, the references to the spiritual practices of different hunter-gatherer groups across distinct environments, such as the Inuit mythology and the understanding of celestial phenomena like the northern lights, illustrate the diversity of these supernatural beliefs and their integration into the fabric of human cultural heritage.