Abstract

In the opening of this paper I argue, contrary to a notion commonly found in the humanities and social sciences above all, and ironically yet not any less resolutely for all that, that in fact nature still exists. Subsequently I criticize the arguably more prevalent conviction that culture stands in opposition to nature. In contrast I argue for the thesis that culture is nothing more or less than a specific form of life that can only develop within nature. More than this: it can only ever develop as nature; and it can only accomplish this with nature. This is shown by examples for the case of technology, which was decisive for the emergence of culture. Every technology can only start by using natural means. Hence we can show that we can only ever understand culture as a part of nature that differentiates itself, like all parts of nature, according to the external and internal conditions of that particular life. Thus culture is one of the countless evolutionary products of nature.