Cultural Theory is an attempt to apply the social scientific mind to culture in a way that respects both. The heart of this approach lies in the assertion that two concepts, grid and group, lie at the core of social life. The four alternative ways of life or simply categories for ideas and arguments that emerge from the combinations of these two concepts are then more than mere labels.This paper seeks to evaluate the persuasiveness of that claim and the adequacy of its terms, taking into account criticisms and applications to American and French political culture. The conclusion is that compared with the alternatives, CT is both productive and promising. The goal ought to be to further understanding of human life while doing as little harm as possible along the way to the richness of cultures and personal experience, not to either prove or falsify CT
