Culture as a form of nature

Abstract

Opposite to an impression which is particularly widespread in the humanities and the social sciences, the author starts with the ironic – but nevertheless authoritative – assessment that nature still exists. This being stated, the presumably even more prevalent opinion that culture stands in opposition to nature is criticized. Instead, a case is made that culture is nothing more nor less than a specific way of life that can only develop within nature. Even more: culture can do so exclusively as nature; and culture can operate only with nature. This is exemplified by the origins of technology which are crucial for the evolution of culture. Every technology could primordially only make use of resources provided by nature. Thus it can be proven that in any case culture can only be regarded as part of nature which, as do all parts of nature, differs depending on the exterior and interior preconditions of the respective lives. Therefore, culture is one of the numerous evolutionary products of nature.