12 Questions
What is the etymological root of the word 'culture'?
The Latin word 'colere'
According to Sir Edward Bunett Tylor, what does culture encompass?
A complex whole including knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom, and habits
Who is credited with being the first scholar to use the concept of culture to indicate the condition of a group of people?
Sir Edward Bunett Tylor
What does the layman's definition of culture refer to?
The way of life of a group of people
What is the idea that is likened to the concept of cultivating one's self?
The idea of wisdom through human cultivation
What is the focus of John H. Bodley's definition of culture?
A society and its way of life
What is the main argument in support of Bodley's definition of culture?
It highlights the importance of group dynamics in shaping culture
What is the core idea in Professor Thurstan Shaw's definition of culture?
Culture is a way of life for a group of people over a limited period of time
What is the central idea in Ngugi wa Thiongo's definition of culture?
Culture is the basis of a community's world outlook
What is the main idea presented by Temisan Ebijuwa regarding culture?
Culture is dynamic and adapting
What is the significance of Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn's work?
They compiled multiple definitions of culture
What is the main idea presented by Ukpokolo regarding the definitions of culture?
The definitions are diverse and varied
Study Notes
Definition of Culture
- The word 'culture' originates from the Latin word 'colere', meaning 'to cultivate'.
- One possible interpretation of culture is 'the cultivation of or the constant exhibition of certain traits, acts, etc'.
Scholarly Definitions of Culture
- Sir Edward B. Tylor (1871) defined culture as "that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society".
- Alfred Kroeber (1948) defined culture as "the mass of learned and transmitted notor reactions, habit, techniques, ideas and values and the behavior they include".
- John H. Bodley (1951) referred to culture as a collective term for a society and its way of life or human culture as a whole.
- Professor Thurstan Shaw (1974) defined culture as "the way of life, the mental outlook, and the characteristic artifacts produced by a fairly homogeneous group of people over a limited period of time".
- Ibanga (1999) defined culture as "the totality of knowledge and behavior, ideas and objects that constitute the common heritage of a people".
- Orlando Petterson (2000) defined culture as "a repertoire of socially transmitted and intra-generationally generated ideas about how to live and make judgments, both in general terms and in regard to specific domains of life".
- Richard Shweider (2000) defined culture as "a community-specific ideas about what is true, good, beautiful and efficient".
- Ngugi wa Thiongo (1987) defined culture as "a community's structure of values, the basis of their world outlook and how they see themselves and their place in the universe and in relation to other communities".
- Temisan Ebijuwa (2005) stated that culture is constantly shifting its horizon to satisfy the changing needs of a society.
Compilation of Definitions
- Alfred Kroeber and Clyde Kluckhohn compiled 164 definitions of culture in their book "Culture: A Critical Review of Concepts and Definitions" (1952).
- Ukpokolo (2004) extracted some definitions from Clifford Geertz's article, quoting Clyde Kluckhohn's "Mirror for Man".
Explore the concept of culture, its etymology, and its significance in scholarly discourses. Learn how the Latin root 'colere' influences our understanding of culture.
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