Culture theory
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| + | [[Image:Western face of the Greek Parthenon.jpg|thumb|right|200px|This page '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is part of the [[humanity]] series.<br><small>[[1872]] [[photograph]] of the western face of the [[Greek]] [[Parthenon]]</small>]] | ||
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| - | [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/{{PAGENAMEE}}] [May 2007] | + | '''Culture theory''' is the branch of comparative [[anthropology]] and [[semiotics]] (not to be confused with [[cultural sociology]] or [[cultural studies]]) that seeks to define the [[heuristic]] concept of [[culture]] in [[operationalism|operational]] and/or [[scientific method|scientific]] terms. |
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| + | ==Overview== | ||
| + | In the 19th century, "[[culture]]" was used by some to refer to a wide array of [[human]] activities, and by some others as a synonym for "[[civilization]]". In the 20th century, [[Anthropology|anthropologists]] began theorizing about culture as an object of scientific analysis. Some used it to distinguish human [[Adaptation (biology)|adaptive strategies]] from the largely [[instinct]]ive adaptive strategies of [[animal]]s, including the adaptive strategies of other [[primate]]s and non-human [[Hominidae|hominid]]s, whereas others used it to refer to symbolic [[representation (arts)|representations]] and expressions of human experience, with no direct adaptive value. Both groups understood culture as being definitive of [[human nature]]. | ||
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| + | According to many [[theory|theories]] that have gained wide acceptance among anthropologists, culture exhibits the way that humans interpret their [[biology]] and their [[social environment|environment]]. According to this point of view, culture becomes such an integral part of human [[existentialism|existence]] that it ''is'' the human environment, and most cultural [[Social change|change]] can be attributed to human adaptation to [[history|historical events]]. Moreover, given that culture is seen as the primary adaptive mechanism of humans and takes place much faster than [[human evolution|human biological evolution]], most cultural change can be viewed as culture adapting to itself. | ||
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| + | Although most anthropologists try to define culture in such a way that it separates human beings from other animals, many human traits are similar to those of other animals, particularly the traits of other primates. For example, [[chimpanzee]]s have big [[brain]]s, but human brains are bigger. Similarly, [[bonobo]]s exhibit complex [[non-human animal sexuality|sexual behaviour]], but human beings exhibit much more complex [[human sexuality|sexual behaviours]]. As such, anthropologists often debate whether [[human behaviour]] is different from [[ethology|animal behaviour]] in degree rather than in kind; they must also find ways to distinguish cultural behaviour from sociological behaviour and [[psychological]] behavior. | ||
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| + | ==See also== | ||
| + | * [[Cultural studies]] | ||
| + | * [[Culturology]] | ||
| + | * [[Cultural behavior]] | ||
| + | * [[Culture industry]] | ||
| + | * [[Critical theory]] | ||
| + | * [[Dual inheritance theory]] | ||
| + | * [[Engaged theory]] | ||
| + | * [[Intercultural relations]] | ||
| + | * [[Popular culture studies]] | ||
| + | * [[Semiotics of culture]] | ||
| + | * [[Structuralism]] | ||
| + | * [[Tartu–Moscow Semiotic School]] | ||
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| + | ==References== | ||
| + | * Ogburn, William F. ''Social Change''. 1922. Reprint. Dell, New York. 1966. | ||
| + | * Rogers, G.F.C. ''The Nature of the Engineering: A Philosophy of Technology''. Palgrave Macmillan, London, 1983. | ||
| + | * Schumpeter, Joseph. ''The Theory of Economic Development''. 1912. Reprint. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts. 1966. 1934. | ||
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| + | {{GFDL}} | ||
Revision as of 12:38, 20 August 2019
1872 photograph of the western face of the Greek Parthenon
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Culture theory is the branch of comparative anthropology and semiotics (not to be confused with cultural sociology or cultural studies) that seeks to define the heuristic concept of culture in operational and/or scientific terms.
Overview
In the 19th century, "culture" was used by some to refer to a wide array of human activities, and by some others as a synonym for "civilization". In the 20th century, anthropologists began theorizing about culture as an object of scientific analysis. Some used it to distinguish human adaptive strategies from the largely instinctive adaptive strategies of animals, including the adaptive strategies of other primates and non-human hominids, whereas others used it to refer to symbolic representations and expressions of human experience, with no direct adaptive value. Both groups understood culture as being definitive of human nature.
According to many theories that have gained wide acceptance among anthropologists, culture exhibits the way that humans interpret their biology and their environment. According to this point of view, culture becomes such an integral part of human existence that it is the human environment, and most cultural change can be attributed to human adaptation to historical events. Moreover, given that culture is seen as the primary adaptive mechanism of humans and takes place much faster than human biological evolution, most cultural change can be viewed as culture adapting to itself.
Although most anthropologists try to define culture in such a way that it separates human beings from other animals, many human traits are similar to those of other animals, particularly the traits of other primates. For example, chimpanzees have big brains, but human brains are bigger. Similarly, bonobos exhibit complex sexual behaviour, but human beings exhibit much more complex sexual behaviours. As such, anthropologists often debate whether human behaviour is different from animal behaviour in degree rather than in kind; they must also find ways to distinguish cultural behaviour from sociological behaviour and psychological behavior.
See also
- Cultural studies
- Culturology
- Cultural behavior
- Culture industry
- Critical theory
- Dual inheritance theory
- Engaged theory
- Intercultural relations
- Popular culture studies
- Semiotics of culture
- Structuralism
- Tartu–Moscow Semiotic School
References
- Ogburn, William F. Social Change. 1922. Reprint. Dell, New York. 1966.
- Rogers, G.F.C. The Nature of the Engineering: A Philosophy of Technology. Palgrave Macmillan, London, 1983.
- Schumpeter, Joseph. The Theory of Economic Development. 1912. Reprint. Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Massachusetts. 1966. 1934.
