Abstract
The concepts of culture and civilization are regarded by the general public as identical, and language-in-use affords them the status of synonyms. However, philosophy and cultural studies insist on a differentiation between the two concepts claiming that the opposition between culture and civilization was at the core of a vast majority of culturology theories elaborated in the 19th and the 20th centuries, and, more importantly, that the very process of historical development in Europe and Russia testifies to the fact that cultural and civilization values do not coincide, moreover, they are polar value systems. Humanity has repeatedly witnessed the modern civilization ousting the age-long gains in the spiritual plain.
 
 When viewed as polar, civilization and culture allow of a ´spirit versus savage/beast´ juxtaposition in studying human nature, of a duality and contradictory tendencies in human spiritual being.
 
 The article views the concepts of civilization and culture as a set of material values (civilization) and a set of spiritual values (culture). The author claims that such an interpretation of the systems brings up their tragic facets. With the challenges that civilization poses going ignored, humans risk being transformed into pure specialists, having their life dominated by work. The framework of ´civilized´ relationships is fraught with human degradation to the extent of becoming a moulding product, a social erzflts. It jeopardizes human qualities proper, individuality, uniqueness, and identity. One of the menacing implications of the development of industrial civilization to the detriment of culture is the neutralization of age-long spiritual values, turning human history into a road to nowhere.
Published Version
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