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Taka Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Reference

Could we, by imagination, go back to that time, and see the people moving about, we would find that they danced to music and sang and dressed themselves in particular clothes, because at that time the religion and the art were absolutely together. Once we are inside this sort of sanctuary, we feel that the necessity, the drive, the instinct to make such a place where this kind of ritualistic art could occur, and where all the functions that we think art has are comprehended, is something so fundamental and deep-seated in human beings that there is no doubt that it must have existed always.



What does 'it' in bold refer to? 'Art'?
  

Top answer

Taka ... we feel that the necessity, the drive, the instinct to make such a place where this kind of ritualistic art could occur, and where all the functions that we think art has are comprehended, is something so fundamental and deep-seated in human beings that there is no doubt that it must have existed always. What does 'it' in bold refer to?

— CalifJim

  • Taka ...
  • we feel that the necessity, the drive, the instinct to make such a place where this kind of ritualistic art could occur, and where all the functions that we think art has are comprehended, is something so fundamental and deep-seated in human beings that there is no doubt that it must have existed always.
  • What does 'it' in bold refer to?
  • 'Art'?
  • If -- big "if" -- you can find the subject -- a singular subject, apparently (though I see three) -- of the is in red, then you've found the referent of "it"!!!
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6 Answers
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Taka... we feel that the necessity, the drive, the instinct to make such a place where this kind of ritualistic art could occur, and where all the functions that we think art has are comprehended, is something so fundamental and deep-seated in human beings that there is no doubt that it must have existed always.
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You mean, it's 'the necessity, the drive, the instinct'? Yes, at first I thought so. But reading back the text, I thought the entire text was about the fact that art cannot be separated from human beings, so I got kind of confused.
Jim, it's kind of urgent. Do you still think that it's 'the necessity...'? 
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TakaDo you still think that it's 'the necessity...'?
I was hinting that there's something wrong with the sentence which makes your problem even more difficult. Perhaps is should be are. I think the referent is one of those three -- or, more likely, all of them taken as a unit, since they are all basically synonyms of one another anyway.
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I thought they were the restatements of each other so 'is' was OK.
You think it's wrong? 
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TakaYou think it's wrong?
It struck me as odd at first, but I'm warming up to the idea that is is OK for the reason you already mentioned.

CJ
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OK. Thanks, Jim! 
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