The cultural DNA is the cultural information about man. It can be dealt with, metaphorically, in terms of bio-engineering in the shape of cultural engineering.
Table of Contents
1. Cultural Engineering. Beyond Cultural Relativism.
Objectives and Topics
The work aims to overcome the limitations of cultural relativism by introducing a "cultural engineering" approach. This model seeks to integrate centrifugal, particularist tendencies with centripetal, universalist forces through a systems-oriented perspective, thereby ensuring individual freedom within functional, stable socio-cultural collectivities.
- The critique of cultural and moral relativism as a destabilizing social force.
- The metaphor of "cultural DNA" and "cultural engineering" as tools for social management.
- The necessity of reconciling individual uniqueness with collective functional totality.
- The application of technological and systems-thinking to socio-psychological challenges.
- The development of an integrative, transcultural management paradigm.
Excerpt from the Book
Cultural Engineering. Beyond Cultural Relativism.
The cultural DNA is the cultural information about man. It can be dealt with, metaphorically, in terms of bio-engineering in the shape of cultural engineering.
If in a family, in a company, in a nation everybody wants to have his way at the expense of the other, the notions of democracy, equality and freedom are thrown overboard. The relativization of everything by one's personal circumstance, though intellectually intelligible, can be used as a pretext and licence to throw the acquis of millennia of human civilization over board and to legitimize precivilized total predatorism. Thus culturalism and relativism become a dangerous -ism, comparable to the fascisms and communisms etc. of the past century, yet quantitatively magnified because so many would like to expand their ISM, their cultural and religious and ethnic ISM which means reducing that of others'. This centrifugal tendency challenges the response of centripetal forces to keep societies viable.
Summary of Chapters
1. Cultural Engineering. Beyond Cultural Relativism.: This chapter establishes the theoretical foundation for viewing culture through a systems-engineering lens to balance competing relativistic forces in modern society.
Keywords
Cultural Engineering, Cultural Relativism, Centrifugality, Centripetality, Transcultural Management, Cultural DNA, Systems Theory, Social Stability, Individual Freedom, Functional Totality, Socio-cultural Systems, Universalism, Particularism, Integrative Paradigm.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental premise of this work?
The work proposes that cultural relativism, when left unchecked, leads to social fragmentation and instability. It suggests that applying a systems-engineering approach can help integrate diverse cultural elements into a functional, harmonious totality.
What are the primary thematic areas explored?
The core themes include the tension between universalism and particularism, the role of human psychology in social dynamics, and the application of technical/engineering metaphors to resolve socio-cultural conflicts.
What is the ultimate goal of the "cultural engineering" model?
The goal is to move beyond the limitations of purely political or legal solutions by creating an objective framework that reconciles individual freedom with the functional requirements of stable societies.
Which methodologies are employed in the analysis?
The author employs a transdisciplinary approach, utilizing metaphors from physics (centrifugal/centripetal forces), systems theory, and bio-engineering to reframe social and cultural challenges as problems of system optimization.
What does the main body of the text cover?
The main text critiques the dangers of unbridled relativism, explores the necessity of universal codes of conduct, and advocates for a new "culture technology" that transcends subjective political will in favor of objective system requirements.
Which keywords best describe this publication?
Key terms include Cultural Engineering, Transcultural Management, Centrifugality, Systems Theory, and Integrative Cultural Paradigm.
How does the author define "cultural DNA"?
It is defined as the foundational cultural information inherent to humanity, which can be manipulated or managed metaphorically through the framework of cultural engineering to better serve the collective good.
Why does the author use the metaphor of a "highway code"?
The metaphor illustrates that individual freedom is not the absence of rules, but rather the result of adhering to universal standards, which ensures that everyone can operate safely and efficiently within a shared societal space.
- Citation du texte
- D.E.A./UNIV. PARIS I Gebhard Deissler (Auteur), 2011, Cultural Engineering - Beyond Cultural Relativism, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/178681
