Culture and society together form a complex whole that encompasses a wide range of elements including knowledge, beliefs, arts, morals, laws, customs, and other capabilities and habits acquired by humans as members of society. This holistic concept of culture was famously defined by anthropologist Edward Tylor 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"
. Key aspects of culture and society as a complex whole:
- Interdependence: Society is a group of people who share a culture, and culture is transmitted between generations through social learning, making both interdependent. Culture provides the framework for social interactions, roles, values, and norms, which sustain society, while society provides the context for culture to exist and evolve
- Components: Culture includes beliefs, values, norms, symbols, attitudes, laws, customs, and artifacts. These components are learned, shared, transmitted, and continuously developed over time within a society
- Functions: Culture defines situations, attitudes, values, and goals for individuals and society. It guides behavior, social interactions, and helps individuals understand their social roles. Culture also shapes what is considered good, right, and important in a society
- Transmission: Culture is passed down from one generation to the next through social learning rather than genetics. This transmission can be vertical (between generations) or horizontal (among peers), enabling continuity and adaptation of cultural traits and complexes
- Sociocultural systems: Each society possesses its own unique culture or sociocultural system, which can be studied as a distinct entity. These systems vary widely depending on environmental, social, and historical factors but share the universal components of human culture
In summary, culture and society are inseparable and together constitute a complex whole that shapes human life, social organization, and individual identity. Understanding one part of this system requires considering its relationship to the whole, as culture cannot be reduced to isolated traits but must be seen as an integrated and dynamic system within society
