Sense variability and typology of cultures

• Main Authors: Lankin Vadim G., Shatokhina Anastasiia O.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: EDP Sciences 2016-01-01
• Series: SHS Web of Conferences
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20162801130

The article is concerned with the problem of justification of cultural (civilizational) typological diversity, which is being analyzed in the framework of variant types and meaning-making methods. Authors attempt to prove the leading role of these methods in shaping cultures’ idiosyncrasies, as well as a specific course of their evolution, and sustainability as culture-transforming programs. In the article, the criteria of distinguishing historical culture types set in the XIX-XX centuries by the most influential civilizational concepts are analyzed, and a new criterion is proposed. This is the criterion of the meaning-making method which is considered the most applicable to describe the core of any culture as an integrity of both experimental and textual ways of human existence re-examination. A number of culture (civilization) types were used as examples; the article observes how the key meaning-making model sculpts the civilization as a unique entity and defines it.