DEFINITIONS OF CULTURE AND TECHNOLOGY: A COMPARATIVE STUDY BETWEEN DUSEK AND RAYMOND WILLIAMS

Abstract

This chapter examines Val Dusek's and Raymond Williams' approaches to defining broad concepts such as culture and technology. According to Dusek, discussions seeking definitions of terms dealing with significant phenomena are not trivial, but disputes over descriptions in search of normative consensus. The study analyzes the different schools of thought on definitions presented by Dusek - real, stipulative, nominalist, reportive, and summary views - and examines the historical evolution of the concept of culture as presented by Williams, from its original agricultural use to its contemporary anthropological and artistic applications. The methodology employed is qualitative, based on comparative bibliographic analysis. The results demonstrate that both authors converge toward a summary approach, which recognizes the impossibility of universal and conclusive definitions but establishes controlled comprehensive parameters for analytical purposes. The main contribution lies in demonstrating that semantic flexibility is not a conceptual weakness but a necessary characteristic for dealing with phenomena that cross multiple disciplines and historical contexts, with ethical, political, and normative implications relevant to understanding contemporary society.