Westermarck, Edward Alexander (Westermarck Edward Alexsander)

(1862-1939)
Born November 20, 1862 in Helsinki. Conducted research in the University of Helsinki and in London. He headed the department of moral philosophy at the University of Helsinki (1890-1906), Department of Sociology at the University of London (1907-1930) and chair of philosophy at ц?bo Akademi (1918-1930).
In his work The History of Human Marriage (The History of Human Marriage, 1891) Westermarck conducted research practices, arguing global nature of the institution of marriage. Intrigued by the problem of ethical differences, . was in the works of Origin and development of moral ideas (The Origin and Development of the Moral Ideas, . 1906-1908) and the relativity of Ethics (Ethical Relativity, . 1932) catalogs of moral norms in support of his hypothesis about the emotional basis of morality,
. Westermarck was one of the first anthropologists emphasize field investigations, and has a strong influence on B. Malinowski. Years of observation in Morocco, compiled in the book of ritual and belief in Morocco (Ritual and Belief in Marocco, 1926) and other works, have disproved the notion Emile Durkheim, Westermarck that reliance on the method of comparison has become an obstacle to understanding the society. The last work of Westermarck - Christianity and morality (Christianity and Morals, 1939).

Died in Westermarck Lapinlahti (Finland) 3 September 1939.