Final answer:
Sir Edward Burnett Tylor's contributions to anthropology include his theory of cultural evolution, his 'armchair theorizing' approach, and his influential work 'Primitive Culture', which shaped the early development of the field.
Step-by-step explanation:
Sir Edward Burnett Tylor made several key contributions to the field of anthropology. His three main contributions are:
- Cultural evolution: Tylor formulated one of the earliest theories of cultural evolution. He posited that cultures evolve from 'savagery' to 'barbarism' to 'civilization,' suggesting a linear progression that was widely influential in early anthropology.
- Armchair theorizing: Although criticized later, Tylor relied on what was known as 'armchair theorizing,' forming hypotheses based on comparative cultural studies without fieldwork. This approach was typical of nineteenth-century anthropologists and paved the way for future field-based research.
- Primitive Culture: Tylor's seminal work, Primitive Culture (1873), deeply impacted the development of anthropology by introducing the concept of 'culture' as a complex whole. In it, he explored various elements including mythology, religion, and social customs.