Philosophy of culture

The word “culture” comes from the Latin verb colere that means “to cultivate soil” (почва). In the Middle Ages this word denoted (указывать) a progressive method of cultivation the grain (зерно), so there appeared a term of “agriculture” or art of farming (земледелия).

But from the XVIII-XIX centuries culture began to be used in relation to people, therefore, if a person is distinguished by elegance (изящество) of style and erudition, he was considered as “cultural” person.

Then this term is applied mainly to aristocracy to distinguish them from the “uncultured” ordinary people. A German word “Kultur” also meant a high level of civilization.

In our modern life the word of “culture” is still associated with the opera house, fine literature, good education.

Modern scientific definition of culture thrown (отбросило) aristocratic nuances of this concept. It symbolizes beliefs, values and means (used in art and literature), which are common to any group; they serve to organize experience and to regulate the behavior of the members of this group.

Beliefs and attitudes are often called subculture. Culture is created, culture studies. Since it is not acquired (приобретаема) by biological way, each generation reproduces and transmits it to the next generation. This process is the basis for socialization.

If socialization process has stopped on a massive scale, it would lead to the destruction of culture.

In a broad sense (в широком смысле), culture is a combination of statement (проявление) of life, achievements and creativity of individuals, nations and all humanity.

Interpretation of culture as a system of values limits culture from nature and at the same time allows us to identify it with society. With this approach, culture is understood as a specific aspect of society.

So, Neo-Kantians, widely used concept of value, treated (трактовали) culture as something over historical and not subject for scientific analysis and explanation.

Dialectical materialist understanding of values, in contrast, doesn’t oppose research and evaluative approaches to society and culture, linking culture with all human activities, with work as a source of culture and its results.

Therefore, culture is a measure (мера) of the human in individual, characterization of man as a social being.