文化与文明之辨

Analysis of Culture and Civilization

"文化"与"文明"这两个人文社会科学领域极其重要的概念,内涵虽有相互重合和相互渗透的地方,但却又大不相同。"文化"是人类超出自身之自然状态的诸多发明创造,而"文明"则是相对于人类自身的野蛮状态而言的;辉煌的文化成就或悠久的文化传统并非意味着文明的优越。只有弄清楚"文化"与"文明"的异同,才能理性地理解历史和把握未来。

Culture and civilization are two extremely important concepts in humanities and social sciences. They coincide and infiltrate into each other in some meanings, hut they are very different. Culture is many kinds of invention and creation of human beyond its natu- ral state,but civilization is relative to the savage state of man himself. Neither brilliant cultural achievements nor long history of tradi- t tional culture means superior civilization. Only find out the similarities and differences between culture and civilization, can we rationally understand history and grasp the future.