What is the evolutionist method? Discuss.

Evolutionist Method in Anthropology:

The evolutionist method is an approach in anthropology that seeks to understand and explain cultural and societal changes over time through the lens of evolutionary progress. This method was prominent during the 19th and early 20th centuries and was influenced by the prevailing ideas of social evolution and Darwinian evolutionary theory.

1. Progression of Societal Forms:
The evolutionist method posits that societies evolve through distinct stages of development, moving from simple and primitive forms to more complex and advanced structures. This progression is often seen as a unilinear path, implying that societies follow a predetermined sequence of stages in their development.

2. Unilineal Evolution:
Evolutionists, such as Lewis Henry Morgan and Edward Burnett Tylor, proposed a theory of unilineal cultural evolution, suggesting that all societies evolve along a single trajectory. According to this view, societies progress from savagery through barbarism to civilization, with each stage characterized by specific technological, social, and cultural features.

3. Application of Darwinian Principles:
The evolutionist method draws heavily from Darwinian principles of natural selection and adaptation. It considers cultural traits and practices as adaptations to environmental challenges. Societies that successfully adapt to their environments are presumed to evolve and progress.

4. Critiques and Challenges:
While the evolutionist method contributed to the early development of anthropology, it faced significant critiques. Critics argued that it tended to be ethnocentric, placing Western societies at the pinnacle of the evolutionary scale and characterizing non-Western cultures as primitive or inferior. Additionally, the unilineal perspective oversimplified the complexities of cultural diversity and historical development.

5. Historical Context and Cultural Relativism:
As anthropology matured, scholars, particularly Franz Boas, criticized the evolutionist method's ethnocentrism and promoted cultural relativism. Boas argued for an understanding of cultures within their specific historical contexts, rejecting the notion of a single, universal path of cultural evolution.

6. Contemporary Relevance:
While the evolutionist method has largely fallen out of favor in contemporary anthropology, some aspects of evolutionary thinking persist. Evolutionary psychology, for instance, explores the evolutionary roots of human behavior. However, modern anthropologists emphasize the importance of cultural diversity, historical specificity, and the rejection of linear models of societal development.

7. Contribution to Anthropological Inquiry:
The evolutionist method, despite its limitations, made important contributions to the development of anthropological inquiry. It sparked interest in cross-cultural comparisons and the study of material culture, laying the groundwork for subsequent anthropological approaches.

8. Evolutionary Thinking Beyond Anthropology:
Evolutionary thinking continues to influence various disciplines, including biology, psychology, and sociology. While the unilinear and ethnocentric aspects of the evolutionist method have been discarded, the broader idea of societies adapting and changing over time remains relevant in understanding human history and cultural development.

In conclusion, the evolutionist method in anthropology was a historical approach that sought to explain cultural and societal changes through the lens of evolutionary progress. It proposed a unilinear path of cultural evolution, drawing on Darwinian principles. Despite its contributions to early anthropological thought, the method faced critiques for ethnocentrism and oversimplification. Contemporary anthropology emphasizes cultural relativism, historical specificity, and a rejection of linear models, but evolutionary thinking continues to influence various fields of study.