The word tradition comes from the Latin traditionem, acc. of traditio which means "handing over, passing on", and is used in a number of ways in the English language:
- Beliefs or customs taught by one generation to the next, often orally. For example, we can speak of the tradition of sending birth announcements.
- A set of customs or practices. For example, we can speak of Christmas traditions.
- A broad religious movement made up of religious denominations or church bodies that have a common history, customs, culture, and, to some extent, body of teachings. For example, one can speak of Islam's Sufi tradition or Christianity's Lutheran tradition.
However, on a more basic theoretical level, tradition(s) can be seen as information or composed of information. For that which is brought into the present from the past, in a particular societal context, is information. This is even more fundamental than particular acts or practices even if repeated over a long sequence of time.
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Traditions and stylings of the mannerism
Olin Levi Warner, Tradition (1895). Bronze tympanum over the main entrance, Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Washington, D.C.A tradition is a practice, custom, or story that is memorized and passed down from generation to generation, originally without the need for a writing system. Tools to aid this process include poetic devices such as rhyme and alliteration. The stories thus preserved are also referred to as tradition, or as part of an oral tradition.[original research?]
Tradition is a knowledge system (a means of transferring knowledge). Economists Friedrich Hayek and Thomas Sowell explain that tradition is an economically efficient way to transfer and obtain knowledge of all kinds. Sowell, for example, notes that decision-making consumes time (a valuable resource), and cultural traditions offer a rich, low-cost, consensually authenticated way to economize on the resources required to make decisions independently.[1][2]
Traditions are often presumed to be ancient, unalterable, and deeply important, though they may sometimes be much less "natural" than is presumed. Some traditions were deliberately invented for one reason or another, often to highlight or enhance the importance of a certain institution.Traditions may also be changed to suit the needs of the day, and the changes can become accepted as a part of the ancient tradition. A famous book on the subject is The Invention of Tradition, edited by Eric Hobsbawm and Terence Ranger.[original research?]
Some examples include "the invention of tradition" in Africa and other colonial holdings by the occupying forces. Requiring legitimacy, the colonial power would often invent a "tradition" which they could use to legitimize their own position. For example, a certain succession to a chiefdom might be recognized by a colonial power as traditional in order to favour their own candidates for the job. Often these inventions were based in some form of tradition, but were grossly exaggerated, distorted, or biased toward a particular interpretation.
Traditionalism
In the Roman Catholic Church, traditionalism is the doctrine that Sacred Tradition holds equal authority to Holy Scripture. In the Orthodox Church, scripture is considered to be the core constituent of a larger tradition. These views are often condemned as heretical by Protestant churches, who hold the Bible to be the only valid tradition. Inspired by the Protestant rejection of tradition, the Age of Enlightenment began to consider even the Bible itself as a questionable tradition. The parentage of liberalism stems from this such attack on accepted notions of European traditional institutions, religious belligerence, state interference and aristocratic privilege.
Traditionalism may also refer to the concept of a fundamental human tradition present in all orthodox religions and traditional forms of society. This view is put forward by the Traditionalist School.
Traditionalist Catholic refers to those, such as Archbishop Lefebvre, who want the worship and practices of the church to be as they were before the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965).
"Radical Traditionalism" refers to a worldview that stresses a return to traditional values of hard work, craftsmanship, local culture, tribal or clan orientation, and non-material values in response to a perceived excess of materialism, consumerism, technology, and societal homogeneity. Most Radical Traditionalists choose this term for themselves to stress their reaction to 'modern' society, as well as an equal disdain for more 'recent' forms of traditionalism based on Judeo-Christian and early-Industrial Age values. It is often allied with branches of Paganism that stress a return to old cultural values that predated the existence of the state system.
In Islam, traditionalism is the orthodox form, which places importance on traditional forms of learning and acknowledges different traditional schools of thought.
Archaeological meaning
In archaeology a tradition is a set of cultures or industries which appear to develop on from one another over a period of time. The term is especially common in the study of American archaeology.
See also
| Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Traditions |
- Traditionalism
- Conservatism
- Perennial philosophy
- Sacred Tradition (Roman Catholic)
- Time immemorial
- Traditionalist Catholic
- Traditional Islam
- Traditional Chinese character
- Traditional medicine
- Traditional music
- Kissing Traditions
- Culture
- Folklore
- History
Citations and notes
- ^ See Knowledge and Decisions, Thomas Sowell, chapter 4 Chemist and philosopher Michael Polanyi argues that the importance of tradition stems precisely from the fact that we know more than we can articulate, and that we amass and communicate valuable knowledge through tradition, often without conscious awareness of all the factors that influenced the development of traditions.
- ^ See Personal Knowledge: Towards a Post-Critical Philosophy, Michael Polanyi
References
- Sowell, T (1980) Knowledge and Decisions Basic Books. ISBN 0-465-003738-0
- Polanyi, M (1964) Personal Knowledge: Towards a Post-Critical Philosophy ISBN 0-226-67288-3
- Klein, Ernest, Dr., A comprehensive etymological dictionary of the English language: Dealing with the origin of words and their sense development thus illustrating the history and civilization of culture, Elsevier, Oxford, 7th ed., 2000
External links
Categories: Social philosophy | Traditions
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KT
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:31:00 GM
It's an Upper Arlington . tradition. and not to be messed with. I was a little bummed, because we just got our chairs out tonight and I didn't get the spot I wanted. My fault for waiting until two days before parade time. ...
Q. I recently asked a question about why gay marriage should be illegal. Some people, in their answers, mentioned tradition. For example: "It isn't traditional all the way from ancient times all the way until now, so that's why it shouldn't just be legal all of a sudden one day just because you have gays and lesbians thinking they should be able to marry." "Why should we change what has worked for 5000 years?" While these were only parts of answers, they indicate that many people consider tradition to be an important aspect of marriage. Why should modern marriage be ruled by the traditions of the past? Why is tradition so important in guiding our current legislation regarding marriage?
Asked by Gary - Wed Nov 19 21:48:21 2008 - - 13 Answers - 0 Comments
A. forget about tradition... Marriage is between man and woman... because god said so. for thousands of years, we have listened and obeyed God... so why should we now, change course, and disobey God???
Answered by Cyclist 2300 - Wed Nov 19 21:53:12 2008
