Western Civilization: Changes in Spirit and Institutions

Author: Dong Xiaoyan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-02-01
Features: The nature of civilization and its relationship with culture are subjects of diverse opinions, with no consensus. These varying viewpoints dissipate like clouds and mist, all stemming from the different eras, cultural backgrounds, academic contexts, and research methodologies of the thinkers involved. Each perspective reflects the essence of civilization from a unique angle. We believe that there is no sharp boundary between civilization and culture; both serve as lenses through which observers and evaluators assess the overall goodness of human history. From the perspective of the entire history of humankind, culture precedes civilization in existence. Civilization refers to the advanced state of human society, marked by the emergence of settled life and the invention of writing, signifying the dawn of the civilized era. Thus, the American scholar Lewis H. Morgan divided the development of human society after the Stone Age into three stages: the Savagery Age, the Barbarism Age, and the Civilization Age. Broadly defined, culture encompasses the sum of material and spiritual wealth created by human historical practices, such as material culture and spiritual culture. Civilization is a cultural group, and based on cultural characteristics, humans can be categorized into different civilizations, much like how physical characteristics divide humans into different races. Civilization is the highest and most widespread standard for classifying human groups. It is defined by objective and shared elements, such as language, history, religion, customs, and legal systems.