UCSP I QUARTER 1 - Module 4

Prepared by: THOMAS B. FERNANDEZ, JR., Ed.D & ANGELICA V. FURUC

Human Capacity for Culture

Culture is defined as “that complex whole which encompasses beliefs, practices, values,
attitudes, laws, norms, artifacts, symbols, knowledge, and everything that a person learns and
shares as a member of a society” (Taylor, 2010). It is by-product of the attempt of humans to
survive their environment and to compensate for their biological characteristics and limitations.
Our evolution toward humanity as we know it has been a long journey of survival against the
elements of the environment and against competing species. As our ancestors evolved
biologically in response to their environment, they have also developed cultural technologies
that aided them to efficiently obtain food and deter predators.

Evolution is a natural process of biological changes occurring in a population across

successive generations (Banaag, 2012 p.31). It helps us identify and analyze man’s
physiological development and eventually the emergence of different society. Moreover, man’s
progression and characteristics are essential in understanding the capability for adaptation.
Most scientists currently recognize some 15 to 20 different species of early humans.

Human Biocultural Evolution

Species Characteristics
Hominids “Manlike The development of the different species of primates which
Primates” were able to evolve in 40 million years ago. There have been various
relics of hominids which could be described as manlike primates.
They are Ramapithecus, Lucy and
Australopithecus.
Homo Habilis The apelike men who first to used stone tools as weapons and
“Handy Man” protection of their enemies. They are recognized as the
first true human. Lived about 2.4 to 1.4 million years ago.
Homo Erectus It was believed to be the first man like creature that lived about
“The Upright Man” 500,000 years ago in Asia, Africa and Europe. This manlike specie
could walk straight with almost the same brain with modern man. He
made refined stone stools for hunting and weapons for protection of
the enemies.
The following are the major discovered fossils:
a. Pithecanthropus Erectus “Java Man” –Discovered by Eugene
Dubois at Trinil, Java, Indonesia in 1891.
b. Sinanthropus Pekinensis “Peking Man” –Discovered at
Choukoutien village, Beijing, China in 1929.
Homo Sapiens It was believed that this was the direct descendant of modern
“The Thinking man who lived about 250,000 years ago. They had similar physical
Man” descriptions with modern man. They originated as the primitive men
whose activities were largely dependent on hunting, fishing and
agriculture. They buried their dead, used had tools and had religion.
The following are
Homo Sapiens subspecies:
a. Neanderthal Man –Discovered in Neanderthal valley near
Dusseldorf, Germany in 1856 who lived in cave and
dependent in hunting and fishing.
b. Cro-Magnon Man – Discovered by a French archaeologist
Louis Lartet in the Cro Magnon Cave in Southern France. It
was believed to live in Europe, Asia and Africa. As a
1i they were the first to produce art in cave
prehistoric man,
paintings and crafting decorated
tools and accessories.

Four Biological Capacity of Human to Develop Culture

1. Our Thinking  The primary biological component of humans that allowed for
capacity culture is the developed brain. It has the necessary parts for
facilitating pertinent skills such as speaking, touching, feeling,
seeing, and smelling.
 Compared with other primates, humans have a larger brain,
weighing 1.4 kg. Due to the size of brain and the complexity of its
parts, humans were able to create survival skills that helped
them adapt to their environment and
outlive their less adaptive biological relatives.
2. Our gripping  Look at your hands. Notice how your thumb relates with your
capacity other fingers. This capacity to directly oppose your thumb with
your other fingers is an exclusive trait of humans. It allowed us to
have a finger grip.


Figure 1. Hands of selected primates

 The hand of human has digits (fingers) that are straights, as

compared with the curved ones of the other primates. Notice that
the thumb of the human is proportionately longer than those of
other primates. These characteristics of the human hand allowed
for two types of grip” power and precision.
a) Power grip enabled humans to wrap the thumb and
fingers on an object; it became the cornerstone of our capacity
to hold tool firmly for hunting and other activities.
b) Precision grip enabled humans to hold and pick objects
steadily using fingers. This capacity was crucial for tool-
making activities.

3. Our speaking  As the brain is the capacity source of humans’ capacity to

capacity comprehend sound and provide meaning to it, the vocal tract acts
as the mechanism by which sounds are produced and reproduced
to transmit ideas and values.
 Humans have longer vocal tract compared with chimpanzee. A
longer vocal tract means that there is a longer vibration surface,
allowing human to produce a wider array of sounds than
chimpanzees.
 The tongue of human is also more flexible than of a chimpanzee,
allowing for more control in making sounds.
4. Our walking/  Primates have two forms of locomotion: bipedalism and
standing quadropedalism. Bipedalism is the capacity to walk and stand on
capacity two feet, whereas quadropedalism uses all four limbs. Although
apes are semi-bipedal,
2 humans are the only fully bipedal
primates.
 Being bipedal, humans gained more capacity to move while
carrying objects with their free hands. It gave humans more
capacity or productivity with their hands like hunting
and foraging.
Cultural and Sociopolitical Development
The physical as well as the mental development of early human beings helped them
understand and adapt to their existing environment. Thus, their adjustment served as the onset
of their culture. Culture enables the members of society to develop ways of coping with
exigencies of nature as well as ways of harnessing their environment (Panopio, [Link] 1994). The
changes made by man through his interaction with the environment establish the different
cultural evolution which determines man’s socio-cultural development.

Cultural Period Cultural and Socio-political Development

Paleolithic Period  Use of simple pebble tools.
(Old Stone Age)  Learned to live in caves.
 Discovered the use of fires.
3 million years  Developed small sculptures; and monumental painting,
to 8,000 B.C. incised designs, and reliefs on the wall of caves.
 “Food-collecting cultures”
Neolithic Age (New  Stone tools were shaped by polishing or grinding.
Stone Age) Occurred  Settlement in permanent villages.
sometime about  Dependence on domesticated plants or animals.
10,000 BCE  Appearance of such crafts as pottery and weaving.
 “Food-producing cultures”
Age of Metals  The used of metal such as bronze, copper, and iron produced
a new historical development form cradles civilization of
Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia, including India and China which
4,000 B.C. – 1,500 B.C later on spread throughout Asia.
 The civilization which defines to a more developed social,
cultural, political and economic system.
 It had already direct contacts through tribes, kingdoms,
empire and later on state which the constant political
activities were through conquest,
wars and trade.

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The Early Types of Societies
During the course of human history, people have organized themselves into various
types of societies depending upon their level of technology and the related methods of
subsistence. The earliest societies confined themselves in gathering and hunting for food.
When man invented the plow, it enabled him to increase the amount of available food. The
introduction of modern technology and equipment, mass computerization, and white-collar
service occupations, has changed the man’s society into a more complex one.

Type of Technology Economy Settlements Social

Society Organizations
A. Hunting Very simple – Bare Nomadic All resting within
and fire, arrow, necessities – 25-40 people family.
Gathering baskets no surplus
Society
B. Digging sticks, Simple crop Semi- permanent Family-centered;
Horticultural occasionally cultivation, – some cities Religious system
And Pastoral blade tools. some surplus occasionally begins to develop,
Society and exchange. kingdoms. moderate
specialization;
Presence of social
inequality.

C. Agrarian Irrigation, Largely Permanent Family loses

Society Fertilization, agricultural urbanization significance as
Metallurgy, but much becoming distinctive
Animal-drawn surplus; important religious, political,
plow. increased empires covering and economic
market continent. system emerged.
exchange and Increased
substantial presence of social
trade. inequality.

D. Industrial Advance Industrial Permanent – Complex set of

Society sources of – few engage urban living interdependent
energy; in agriculture predominating. institutions.
Mechanized or direct Cities now
production. production; contain most
Much of the
surplus; population.
Fully The rise of
developed state.
market
economy

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COMPONENTS OF CULTURE
The beginning of early man is a proper reference in treating the interesting subject of
culture. Man’s adaptation to his society, his conformity with the culture of his time and his
education have worked alongside each other in putting him in his present status as the
strongest and the most intelligent creature in the world.

As perceived by sociologists and anthropologists, culture is rather a complex

concept. To understand culture, one must examine its major elements:

1. Material Culture –It is the physical objects a society produces, things people create
and use. These are tools, furniture, clothing, automobiles, and computer systems, to
name a few. Thus, the awareness of the kind of objects created and how people use
them brings about greater understanding of the culture and of a society.

1.1. Technology. A Society’s culture consists of not only physical objects but also
rules for using those objects. Sociologists sometimes refer to this combination
of objects and rules as technology. Using items of material culture,
particularly tools, requires various skills, which are part of the nonmaterial
culture.

2. Non-material Culture –It consists of elements termed norms, values, beliefs, and
language shared by the members of a society. Non-material culture is considered as
the carriers of culture.

2.1. Language. Perhaps, the most defining characteristics of human being is the
ability to develop and use highly complex systems of symbols like language.
A symbol, as sociologists say, is the very foundation of culture. The essence
of culture is the sharing of meanings among members of a society. Unless
one shares the language of a culture, one cannot participate in it. (Fishman,
1985; p.128)
Language influences our ways of perceiving, behaving, and feeling,
and thus, tends to define and shape the world around us. It is through
language that idea values, beliefs, and knowledge are transmitted,
expressed, and shared. Without language, there will be no culture.

2.2. Beliefs. These are ideas that people hold about the universe or any part of
the total reality surrounding them. These are the things how people perceive
reality. The subject of human beliefs may be infinite and may include ideas
concerning the individual, other people and any all aspects of the biological,
physical, social, and supernatural world be it primitive or scientific.

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 2.3. Values. They are shared ideas about desirable goals. They are the
person’s ideas about worth and desirability or an abstract of what is important
and worthwhile. Values make up our judgements of moral and immoral, good
and bad, right and wrong, beautiful and ugly, etc.

2.4. Norms. These are shared rules of conduct that specify how people ought to
think and act. A norm is ideas in the minds of the members of a group put into
a statement specifying what members of the group should do, ought to do or
are expected to do under certain circumstances. (Homans, 1950; p. 123).

Norms are usually in the form of rules, standards, or prescriptions and social shared
expectations. Norms has three forms:

[Link]. These are norms associated with strong ideas of right and wrong.
Mores are standard of conduct that are highly respected and valued by the
group and their fulfilment is felt to be necessary and vital to group welfare.
They are considered essential to the group’s existence and
accordingly, the group demands that they be followed without questions. They
represent obligatory behavior because their infraction results to punishment –
formal or informal.

[Link]. These are norms that are simply the customary, normal, habitual
ways a group does things. These customary ways are accumulated and
become repetitive patterns of expected behavior which tends to become
permanent traditions.
One of the essential features of folkways is that there is no strong
feeling of right or wrong attached to them. If one violates folkways, there is no
punishment attached to it.

[Link]. These are often referred to as formal norms. They are rules that are
enforced and sanctioned by the authority of the government.

The Legacy of Early Humans to Contemporary Population

The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) is
the primary transnational entity that manages and negotiates matters relating to human
heritage. It defined cultural heritage as follows:

Cultural heritage is not limited to material manifestations, such as monuments and

objects that have been preserved over time. This notion also encompasses living
expressions and the traditions that countless groups and communities worldwide
have inherited from their ancestors and transmit to their descendants, in most cases,
orally (UNESCO, 2010)

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This definition us with a two-part meaning of cultural heritage. On one end, there is heritage
being tangible in the form of structures, monuments, historical sites, and other artifacts. On
the other hand, there is heritage being intangible in the form of literature, oral, traditions,
concepts, and values.

Tangible heritage could be divided into two categories: movable and immovable.
The primary difference in these categories is the size of the heritage. For example, the
Stonehenge is an immovable tangible heritage, whereas the sarcophagus of the pharaoh
Tutankhamun is a movable tangible heritage.

Movable tangible heritage pieces are often removed from the sites where they were
found and transferred to museums for safekeeping and maintenance. Immovable tangible
heritage pieces are often left to the elements of nature (i.e., rain, wind, sand, sun), which
makes them vulnerable to decay and corrosion. This does not mean that conservation
efforts are not being made. However, due to the constant exposure of these objects to these
elements, conservation becomes more challenging.

Explore

Enrichment Activity:

The Evolution of Man

A. Write inside the boxes the corresponding name of the species.

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B. Enumerate practices or activities of early people that are still being practiced or
observed by the people today.
Socio-cultural Political Practices/ Economic Practices/
Practices/Activities Activities Activities
1 1 1

2 2 2

3 3 3

4 4 4

5 5 5

C. Essay: Your answers will be rated based on the rubric shown in the next page.
1. What is the role played by fiestas and museums in preserving our
cultural practices and symbols?
Fiestas:

Museums:

2. Conduct an interview. Ask your parents or elders of your community of some

significant symbols or meanings of old farming practices.

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D. Cultural Heritage is an expression of the ways of living developed by a community and
passed on from generation to generation. There are two kinds: Tangible cultural heritage
and Intangible cultural heritage. Can you give examples of them?

TANGIBLE CULTURAL HERITAGE INTANGIBLE CULTURAL

HERITAGE
Give specific name / examples found around the world
1. 9.
2. 10.
Give specific name / examples found in Asia
3. 11.
4. 12.
Give specific name / examples found in the Philippines
5. 13.
6. 14.
Give specific name / examples found in Cordillera Administrative Region
7. 15.
8. 16.

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 “Ang hindi marunong

Deepen
lumingon
sa

National Indigenous Peoples Month is observed every October by virtue of Proclamation No. 1906
signed on October 5, 2009, by former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. According to the
proclamation, the celebration highlights Philippine indigenous peoples’ rights and the preservation of
indigenous cultural communities as part of the life of the nation.

Make a poster slogan following the 2019 IP Month celebration “Vital Wisdoms: Learning with the
Indigenous Peoples” (Buháy na Dúnong: Pagkatúto Kasama Ang Mga Katutúbo) Use long coupon
bond and any prefer writing and coloring materials. See rubrics below:

RUBRIC FOR THE POSTER ACTIVITY

CATEGORY 4 3 2 1

Required The poster includes All required elements Few of the Several required
Elements all required elements are included on the required elements elements were
as well as additional poster & bookmarks. are included on missing.
information. the poster.

Picture The poster is The poster is attractive The poster is The poster is
and/or logo exceptionally in terms of design, acceptably distractingly messy
attractive in terms of layout and neatness. attractive though or very poorly
design, layout, and it may be a bit designed. It is not
neatness. messy. attractive.

Content - 2 accurate reasons 1 accurate reason is Less than 1 Inaccurate

Accuracy are displayed on the displayed on the accurate reason is reason(s) are used.
poster. poster. displayed on the
poster.

Slogan Slogan is catchy and Slogan is weak but Slogan is catchy Slogan's meaning
supports the idea of supports the idea of but doesn't isn't clear and
the importance of the importance of our support the idea of doesn't support
our culture culture the importance of the idea of the
our culture. importance of our
culture

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