(Adolphs 2013, 1). Like all other emotions, the biological constitution was formed
by our evolutionary history (Sabyasachi 2007; Adolphs 2013). The goal of fear in
most cases during the past was simply survival of the individual or group, whereas
the same biological constitution now plays an important role in social communication and the use of technologies. However, the decision to fight, to escape or to react
in a certain way often has to be a rather quick one. And the decision may be wrong.
Threats triggering fear can be concrete and indefinite as well. A spider or snake
may represent a direct threat. The bad smell from deteriorated food or the noise of a
bear may be alarming. However, the combination of unpredictability and
inescapability boosted by alarming communication can cause strong fear even if a
person did not get any direct signal from the environment and even if this person is
outside of the risk. If the background of fear is rumour then a fear economy can
easily use the situation and strengthen the fear through alarming propaganda.
Emotion is driving the market and the market is driving emotions (Rick and
Loewenstein 2008; Bandelj 2009; Read 2009).
4 Nature, Culture, and Nature-Culture Dichotomy
The term nature goes back to ancient Roman times and comprises the physical world
of the universe, referring to the Latin word natura which literally means birth.
Human birth obviously are related to fate and pain which could hardly be altered
by cultural behaviour. Culture from Latin cultura refers to agriculture, crop cultivation, ploughing. Nature describes conditions outside or independent of human’s
options for action, culture is related to human’s possibilities, ideas, values and
programmes. However, the difference between the two is part of the debate in all
sciences where nature and culture are connected or clashing. At least today, when
evolutionary principles and basics in neurobiology are common knowledge, the
border between nature and culture is crossing everybody’s identity and humankind
in general.
One of the main questions about the relationship between nature and culture is
focused on the degree of freedom and the constraints. Responsibility and accountability, religious and scientific/rational orientation, spirituality, emotions and aesthetics, outside or inside of nature and outside or inside of artificial buildings and
cities are items of relating considerations (cf. e.g. Greenwood and Stini 1977, Jonas
1979, Böhme 2002, Milton 2002, Brady 2003, Poschlod 2017).
Humans lived in harmony with nature as long as they lived in nature, as part of the
ecosystem and the food web. The alienation from nature increased continuously with
increasing settlement, cultural and technological development, with the replacement
of natural ecosystems by semi-natural and finally artificial habitats and megacities,
and the replacement of the food web with international trade. The mechanistic
worldview replaced the cosmos as a living organism. Stories like this have often
been told (Morgan 1908/1979; Gehlen 1961; Merchant 1980). However, we almost
24
C. Hobohm
by our evolutionary history (Sabyasachi 2007; Adolphs 2013). The goal of fear in
most cases during the past was simply survival of the individual or group, whereas
the same biological constitution now plays an important role in social communication and the use of technologies. However, the decision to fight, to escape or to react
in a certain way often has to be a rather quick one. And the decision may be wrong.
Threats triggering fear can be concrete and indefinite as well. A spider or snake
may represent a direct threat. The bad smell from deteriorated food or the noise of a
bear may be alarming. However, the combination of unpredictability and
inescapability boosted by alarming communication can cause strong fear even if a
person did not get any direct signal from the environment and even if this person is
outside of the risk. If the background of fear is rumour then a fear economy can
easily use the situation and strengthen the fear through alarming propaganda.
Emotion is driving the market and the market is driving emotions (Rick and
Loewenstein 2008; Bandelj 2009; Read 2009).
4 Nature, Culture, and Nature-Culture Dichotomy
The term nature goes back to ancient Roman times and comprises the physical world
of the universe, referring to the Latin word natura which literally means birth.
Human birth obviously are related to fate and pain which could hardly be altered
by cultural behaviour. Culture from Latin cultura refers to agriculture, crop cultivation, ploughing. Nature describes conditions outside or independent of human’s
options for action, culture is related to human’s possibilities, ideas, values and
programmes. However, the difference between the two is part of the debate in all
sciences where nature and culture are connected or clashing. At least today, when
evolutionary principles and basics in neurobiology are common knowledge, the
border between nature and culture is crossing everybody’s identity and humankind
in general.
One of the main questions about the relationship between nature and culture is
focused on the degree of freedom and the constraints. Responsibility and accountability, religious and scientific/rational orientation, spirituality, emotions and aesthetics, outside or inside of nature and outside or inside of artificial buildings and
cities are items of relating considerations (cf. e.g. Greenwood and Stini 1977, Jonas
1979, Böhme 2002, Milton 2002, Brady 2003, Poschlod 2017).
Humans lived in harmony with nature as long as they lived in nature, as part of the
ecosystem and the food web. The alienation from nature increased continuously with
increasing settlement, cultural and technological development, with the replacement
of natural ecosystems by semi-natural and finally artificial habitats and megacities,
and the replacement of the food web with international trade. The mechanistic
worldview replaced the cosmos as a living organism. Stories like this have often
been told (Morgan 1908/1979; Gehlen 1961; Merchant 1980). However, we almost
24
C. Hobohm