Final answer:
Edward Burnett Tylor, a nineteenth-century British anthropologist, was the first to define culture as the "complex whole" of human learned behavior. His expansive definition set the stage for further anthropological studies into cultural elements and their dynamic interactions within societies.
Step-by-step explanation:
The man who first defined culture as the "complex whole" of behavior learned by humans was Edward Burnett Tylor, a nineteenth-century British anthropologist. Tylor's definition includes an expansive range of components such as knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, and any other capacity or habit acquired by people as members of society. This conceptualization was foundational in the field of anthropology, greatly broadening the understanding of human social behavior and its formation within different societies. Over time, other anthropologists have built upon Tylor's definition, examining culture through various lenses, including cultural evolution, cultural ecology, and cultural materialism.
For Tylor, the vastness of culture encompassed everything learned and shared within a society, a view that strongly shapes how anthropologists study and analyze human cultures. By emphasizing both cognitive and behavioural patterns, anthropologists like Tylor set the stage for future generations of scholars to unlock the complexities of human social life. The influence of his work helped punctuate the idea that culture is not a simple, singular entity, but rather a rich tapestry of interwoven elements that reflect the experiences and adaptations of individuals and groups throughout history.
Anthropologists since Tylor have continued to explore the interplay between environmental factors, technological innovation, and societal changes. The ideas of anthropologists such as Julian Steward, Marvin Harris, and Franz Boas have further unravelled the dynamic and interconnected nature of culture, illustrating that cultures develop not in isolation but through interactions and an exchange of ideas between societies.