Elemér Hankiss’s Theory of Culture

Abstract

In his many-faceted oeuvre, Elemér Hankiss paid special attention to the questions of culture and civilization. This paper examines the theory of culture and civilization in the late writings of Elemér Hankiss. After conceptual clarifications, it will be shown that his basic assumption is that human existence cannot cope with its intellectual and emotional dangers. His functionalist approach to culture and civilization will be followed as well as his reading of the ancient experiences which are answered by culture. As a first step, Hankiss’s conception of the human strangeness in the world is reconstructed. Afterwards, the idea that culture and civilization could be a kind of solution to this being alien in the world is critically examined. As critical summary, it might be stressed that, in contrast to Hankiss’s argumentation, the consume of cultural products cannot be reduced to satisfaction of psychological, metaphysical needs. In this sense culture basically differs from biological, physiological needs. In addition, the functionalist approach suffers from a principal shortcoming that results from the concept of cultural products as symbolic protective shields. In this approach we cannot distinguish between different levels of cultural products, and so their essential differences cannot be taken into account either.