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Culture or civilization, taken in its wide ethnographic sense, is 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
Edward Burnett Tylor
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Interpretation

What this quote means

Culture encompasses the various elements that define a society, including knowledge, beliefs, and artistic expressions.

Edward Burnett Tylor's quote highlights the complexity of culture as a composite of various human endeavors and societal practices. He defines culture in a broad sense, asserting that it includes everything from knowledge and beliefs to the art and customs that shape a group's identity and social interactions. Understanding culture in this way emphasizes the intricate interconnections between different aspects of human life and the ways in which societies develop and evolve over time.

Themes

CultureCivilizationBeliefArtKnowledgeSociety

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about the importance of education, one might use this quote to illustrate how culture shapes learning.

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