Culture theory
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
(Difference between revisions)
Revision as of 18:15, 22 December 2020 Jahsonic (Talk | contribs) ← Previous diff |
Revision as of 18:32, 22 December 2020 Jahsonic (Talk | contribs) Next diff → |
||
Line 1: | Line 1: | ||
- | [[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>]] | + | #REDIRECT [[Culture]] |
- | {{Template}} | + | |
- | '''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. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ==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]]. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | 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. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | 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. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | ==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== | + | |
- | * [[William Fielding Ogburn|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. | + | |
- | + | ||
- | {{GFDL}} | + |
Revision as of 18:32, 22 December 2020
- REDIRECT Culture