Culture and civilization in the development of mankind

The correlation between the concepts of culture and civilization is a rather complex problem. Some philosophers consider them almost synonymous, but also a cohort of those who breed these terms and consider them antagonistic. Let us consider the very meaning and origin of these words. "Culture" appeared in ancient Rome and originally designated the cultivation of the land. The etymology of the term "civilization" comes from the Latin "civis" (which means a city dweller, a citizen). This term implied a certain level of development of social relations (laws, state infrastructure), everyday life (public buildings, roads, water supply, etc.), manners and art (ethics and aesthetics).

As we can see, on the one hand, the Romans included culture (in its present understanding) in the more general term "civilization", and on the other hand, it was contrasted as something rural and barbaric to the urban, enlightened and subtle. However, we can definitely say that at the dawn of humanity both these phenomena were not antonymous. After all, we say: "the culture of ancient civilizations," meaning by this an organic fusion of technical achievements and mythology, art and science of a particular people at a certain level of progress.

Man does not adapt to the world around, but seeks to transform it. Therefore, we can confidently say that both culture and civilization are a manifestation of the progressive development of human society, that is, a consequence of progress. On the one hand, a person tries to understand the laws that exist in nature, and use them, to obtain additional material benefits for their existence. On the other hand, he tries to realize his place in this world, to find lost harmony, to comprehend the purpose of his life.

Until the New Time, culture and civilization did not oppose, but mutually complemented each other. The laws of nature were understood as established by God (or deities) norms, and thus the sphere of the spiritual actively interacted with the material world. The creation of God - man - created a different nature, which also participated in heavenly harmony, although it was manifested in such seemingly mundane things as a water mill, plow for deep plowing and bank lending.

However, with the beginning of the technogenic era, the concepts of "culture" and "civilization" begin to diverge. Mass production of products coming off the conveyor depersonalizes them, distances them from their creator - artisan. The man stopped putting his soul into things, and they began to dominate him. Both these concepts became antagonistic, and in addition, there was an ersatz, a "centaur" of both phenomena - fashion.

What is the essence of the confrontation in which culture and civilization are located? The first operates with eternal values (the classic never becomes obsolete), and the second proceeds from the fact that gadgets become morally obsolete, they are replaced by others, more perfect ones. Modern science is pragmatic (mainly financed only those industries that bring tangible dividends), while the achievements of the spirit do not always pay back costs. Art, literature, religion are based on the achievements of all the past ages, whereas each level of the next stage of progress is often self-sufficient.