I am going to have to disagree with you on one minor point, and that is that I feel culture is a result of mankind's conflict with himself, rather than nature. Yes, nature plays an important role, but culture is usually "the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group" (Merriam-Webster Online). Culture is both the social lubricant that allows society to exist, as well as the end result of the interaction of society in the form of art, and more importantly fosters the continued survival of that society. Of course, you could also say that society is what allows us to impose our will upon nature, thus I have completed the circular argument, and made your point for you again. Jeff G. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Brust" <skzb at dreamcafe.com> To: <dragaera at dragaera.info> Sent: Sunday, October 24, 2004 5:29 PM Subject: Re: Architecture question for Steve based upon the Sun, the Moon & the Stars. > First of all, thanks for the all the kind words. > > On Sun, 2004-10-24 at 21:06, Sander wrote: > > Of course there's > > some difference between nature/culture there, > > Some difference? Yeah. In fact, they are exact opposites. "Culture" > refers to precisely that which is NOT nature. Originally, one referred > to a "cultured" field, as opposed to a fallow field. In the same sense, > biologists in the lab produce a "culture" which refers to organic growth > under conditions that are NOT natural. Today we use culture to refer to > the sum total of Man's technique and knowledge; that is, everything that > has been developed out of our conflict with nature; of which art is, in > my opinion, the highest product. > > On the other hand, I would be lying if I claimed to remember how much of > that, if any, I had in mind when I wrote that book. It was a long time > ago, and I no longer ever remember who that architect is. Sorry. > > > -- > Steven Brust skzb at dreamcafe.com > "Preacher, don't the bible have some pretty specific things to say about > killing?" "Quite specific. It's rather fuzzier, however, on the > subject of kneecaps." -- Firefly > >