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Definition of Culture

The document discusses the concept of culture. It defines culture as the complex set of ideas, customs, social behaviors, and norms that make up the identity of a group and are passed down through generations. Culture includes both material objects and non-material aspects like knowledge and beliefs. The document provides several definitions of culture from different scholars, with the most widely cited being Edward B. Tylor's definition of culture as the complex whole of knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, laws, and customs acquired by humans as members of a society. Geography can also influence changes in a culture over time as groups adapt to their environment.

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Shivam Patel
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750 views2 pages

Definition of Culture

The document discusses the concept of culture. It defines culture as the complex set of ideas, customs, social behaviors, and norms that make up the identity of a group and are passed down through generations. Culture includes both material objects and non-material aspects like knowledge and beliefs. The document provides several definitions of culture from different scholars, with the most widely cited being Edward B. Tylor's definition of culture as the complex whole of knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, laws, and customs acquired by humans as members of a society. Geography can also influence changes in a culture over time as groups adapt to their environment.

Uploaded by

Shivam Patel
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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INTRODUCTION

‘Culture’ is one of the most important concepts in social science. It is commonly used in psychology,
political science and economics. The study of human society immediately and necessarily leads us to the
study of its culture. Culture is a unique possession of man. It is one of the distinguishing traits of human
society.

Culture is the basic entity on which the society has been built. In the ancient era there were many types of
culture that find no place today. Culture is also a type of society which from our birth shows our way to the
world, it is the identity of a group of people. Culture is made up of ideas, customs, norms, and social
behaviour of the society. As the time passes, the cultures of various societies have evolved, but there are also
some groups or societies that have been resistant to this change and have preserved their sacred cultures.
Various types of cultural societies are present in the world and in India and we will discuss about such
societies and cultures, that how they got affected or stayed away from change.

The term culture is given a wide variety of meanings and interpretations. Some of them are purely non
-sociological if not completely wrong. People use culture interchangeably with educated, they use the term
cultured for an educated person while they use uncultured for a person who lacks education. Difference
between cultured and uncultured i.e sense of rules, regulation and refinement.

Definition of Culture
B. Malinowski has defined culture as the cumulative creation of man. He also regards culture as the
handiwork of man and medium through which he achieved his ends.
Graham Wallas, an English sociologist has defined culture as an accumulation of thoughts, values and
objects; it is social heritage acquired by us from preceding generations through learning, as distinguished
from the biological heritage which is passed on to us automatically through the genes.
C.C North is of the opinion that culture ‘consists in the instruments constituted by man to assist him in
satisfying his wants.’

Robert Bierstedt is of the opinion that culture is the complex whole that consists of all the ways we think and
do and everything we have as members of society.

E.V de Roberty regards culture as ‘the body of thoughts and knowledge, both theoretical and practical,
which only man can possess.

Edward B. Tylor, a famous English anthropologist, has defined culture as ‘that complex whole which
includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man
as member of society’. Tylor’s definition is widely quoted and used today.

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Change in Culture Due to Geography

Geography is the study of earth surface and structure present on

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