Do Other Animals Also Have Culture?

Author: Reece101

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Reece101
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And is genetics downstream from culture?

zedvictor4
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@Reece101
What do you think culture is?

Especially in relation to "downstream genetics", what ever that is supposed to mean. So what do you mean by that?

Isn't culture just a conceptually assumed state of superiority and importance promoted by individuals or collective group of culturalists. More often relative to past events and activities and therefore simply the human ability to store, recall and utilise data.

So perhaps in that context, culture might be regarded as being downstream from genetics.

Or conversely as you implied, upstream. 

I suppose that it all depends upon the greater or lesser significance one applies to both flow and cultural/genetic differential.

Care to clarify your proposition?

And do you think that animals rely wholly upon instinct? 

Or do they sometimes times utilise memory?
Reece101
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@zedvictor4
I would define culture as a collective ritualistic practice (not necessarily religious).
There’s also culture as in society as a whole, but that’s not what I mean.

By “genetics” I meant exclusively in terms of inheritability. I know genetics is a lot more complicated. 
RationalMadman
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Yes. From ants to hyena through to chimpanzees.
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I could semantically troll you and point out that even bacteria are known to be 'culture' in a cluster, but I'll stick to 'from ants'.
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@RationalMadman

I agree.

In so much as all living organisms have an inherent system.

And higher species may develop habitual behaviour, whereby recurrent habitual behaviour may also be described as being cultural.

Human cultural systems are just a tad bit more elaborate I suppose.

1296 days later

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@Reece101
Animals have learned behavior,
Some groups of animals steal a lot,

Why are these monkeys stealing from tourists? | World's Sneakiest Animals - BBC

Some might see other's use 'tools such as a stone to break something, then repeat.

Monkeys Use Tools to Open Shells | BBC Earth
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ritual often has a 'function.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Nature or Nurture,
Chicken, or the Egg.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Animals probably have a harder time 'passing their culture on,
Lacking many concepts, abilities, and techs that humans have.