what is civilization?

Answer 1

By the most minimal, literal definition, a civilization is a complex society. Technically, anthropologists distinguish civilizations in which many of the people live in cities and get their food from agriculture, from band societies, in which people live in nomadic or semi-nomadic groups, and tribal societies, in which people may live in small semi-permanent settlements. Bands usually subsist by hunting and gathering, and tribes often by working small horticultural gardens, sometimes also supplemented by hunting or fishing. Simple and more complex tribes are distinguished by the presence or absence of Chieftains, who take specialist leadership roles, unlike in bands which are more egalitarian, where decision making structures are less formal and power is more evenly shared. Civilizations are more complex again than chieftain societies, as, in addition to a variety of specialist artisans and craftspeople, civilizations are all characterised by a social elite, with status inherited, determined largely from birth. When used in this sense, civilization is an exclusive term, applied to some human groups and not others.

Answer 2

I have never found (or created) a definition by which one society can be called a civilization and another not. At any rate, not one that would be broadly acceptable. Think of Europe, for example. People used to call Ancient Athens and the Roman Republic and subsequent Empire "civilizations", and contrast them with surrounding "barbarism". But no feature of those societies distinguishes them qualitatively from contemporary Celtic northern Europe in a way that justifies treating the latter as inferior. The Romans were superior at conquering other people's countries, keeping written records of their triumphs, and building structures in stone, but not much else. And certainly nothing that I value. Their human rights record, for example, was abominable.

The technical concept "civilizations have cities" (from the Latin [not Greek] 'civitas' = 'state comprising a city and surrounding region') is IMO analytically useless: it tells me nothing about a society to say that it has or had one or more towns. For example, society in sixth century Britain operated without towns in any modernly recognisable sense of the word; royal governance in each kingdom centred on a "kaer", an entity which more resembles a mediaeval castle than a town. Yet if you look closely at the spirituality, poetry, jewellery, values of that society you will find it (at least arguably) as worthwhile and life-sustaining as those of contemporary cities to the south such as Rome, Marseille and Jerusalem.

Answer 3

Not what we are living in. Civilization is a zone of safety, of free-thinking, progressive peoples. And, unfortunately this is not yet civilized. We kill one another, we conduct wars, we condone violence, we shun our sexual nature and are bereft in denial and oppression. Civilization came long before us and will come again long after us, we are in the fold of a book only holding together what was and is about to become. be well, Jack

Answer 4

-a society in an advanced state of social development (e.g., with complex legal and political and religious organizations); "the people slowly progressed from barbarism to civilization"

- the social process whereby societies achieve civilization
culture: a particular society at a particular time and place; "early Mayan civilization"

-refinement: the quality of excellence in thought and manners and taste; "a man of intellectual refinement"; "he is remembered for his generosity and civilization"

Answer 5

It is the result of human beings living together in cities, rather than in roaming bands upon the landscape. Agriculture is the single most important precursor to civilization.

Answer 6

civilization word is come from civitas in greek

Answer 7

me