Final answer:
Marvin Harris explained the economic rationale behind the sacred cow in Hinduism. Cows are considered sacred in India because they provide various economic benefits such as dung for fuel and traction for plowing fields. Keeping cows alive allows for a greater range of material assets.
Step-by-step explanation:
Marvin Harris, a cultural anthropologist, analyzed the Hindu prohibition against killing cows in his book Cow, Pigs, Wars, and Witches. He suggested that the religious beliefs about the sacred cow were based on an economic reality in India. Harris argued that cows were considered sacred because they provided various economic benefits such as dung for fuel, traction for plowing fields, limited milk production, and reproductive capacity. Keeping cows alive allowed for a greater range of material assets than raising them for food alone. However, this economic rationale does not negate the cultural and religious significance of cattle to Indian people.