Culture

Meaning of Culture

Culture (from the Latin cultura stemming from colere, meaning "to cultivate"). When the concept first emerged in eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Europe, it connoted a process of cultivation or improvement, as in agriculture or horticulture. In the nineteenth century, it came to refer first to the betterment or refinement of the individual, especially through education, and then to the fulfillment of national aspirations or ideals. In the mid-nineteenth century, some scientists used the term "culture" to refer to a universal human capacity. For the German sociologist, George Simmel, culture referred to "the cultivation of individuals through the agency of external forms which have been objectified in the course of history".

Source. Wikipedia

Definition of culture

Culture is that complex whole which include knowledge, belief, art, morals, law customs and any other capabilities acquired by man as a member of society- Tylor

In an another definition he said; “Culture is an attribute of man, acquired by him in time, as a member of society”

Culture is sum total of human achievements materials as well as non-material, capable of transmission, sociologically i.e. by tradition and communication, vertically as well as horizontally- Maxumdar HT

Culture is the totality of the group ways of thought and action duly accepted and followed by the group of people – A F Walter Paul

Culture is socially transmitted system of idealized ways in knowledge, practice and belief along with the artifacts that knowledge and practice produce and maintain a they change in time – Green  

Culture is integrated system of learned behavior patterns which are characteristics of the member o society and which are not the biological inheritance

Culture is the particular way of life of the society 

Culture is genetically pre-determined: it is non instinctive

It is result of social invention and is transmitted and maintained solely through communication and learning.

In 1952, Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled a list of 164 definitions of "culture" in Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions. However, the word "culture" is most commonly used in three basic senses:

•      Excellence of taste in the fine arts and humanities, also known as high culture 

•      An integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that depends upon the capacity for symbolic thought and social learning

•      The set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterizes an institution, organization or group

MANIFESTATIONS OF CULTURE

Cultural differences manifest themselves in different ways and differing levels of depth. Symbols represent the most superficial and values the deepest manifestations of culture, with heroes and rituals in between.

• Symbols are words, gestures, pictures, or objects that carry a particular meaning which is only recognized by those who share a particular culture. New symbols easily develop, old ones disappear. Symbols from one particular group are regularly copied by others. This is why symbols represent the outermost layer of a culture.
• Heroes are persons, past or present, real or fictitious, who possess characteristics that are highly prized in a culture. They also serve as models for behavior.
• Rituals are collective activities, sometimes superfluous in reaching desired objectives, but are considered as socially essential. They are therefore carried out most of the times for their own sake (ways of greetings, paying respect to others, religious and social ceremonies, etc.).
• The core of a culture is formed by values. They are broad tendencies for preferences of certain state of affairs to others (good-evil, right-wrong, natural-unnatural). Many values remain unconscious to those who hold them. Therefore they often cannot be discussed, nor they can be directly observed by others. Values can only be inferred from the way people act under different circumstances.
• Symbols, heroes, and rituals are the tangible or visual aspects of the practices of a culture. The true cultural meaning of the practices is intangible; this is revealed only when the practices are interpreted by the insiders.

Characteristics of Culture

•      Culture is an acquired quality

•      Culture is social not individual heritage of man

•      Culture is idealistic; it embodies the ideas and norms of a groups. It is some total of ideal patterns and norms of group of people

•      Culture is total social heritage

•      Culture fulfils some needs; Cultural fulfills those ethical and social needs of groups which are ends in themselves

•      Culture is an integrated system

•      Language is chief vehicle of culture

•      Culture evolves into more complex

•      Culture is changing

•      Culture is adaptive