Why does Zaroff think of himself as civilized in "The Most Dangerous Game"?

Depending upon the person, there are many definitions
of the word "civilized"  For our purposes we will use the definitions from the World
English Dictionary of "having a high state of culture and social development" and from
Dictionary.com of "having an advanced or humane culture; polite; well-bred; refined." 
Based on these two definitions, Zaroff would definitely believe that he is
civilized. 

His father was a very rich man with a quarter
of a million acres in the Crimea.  Rainsford notes that Zaroff has a "cultivated voice
marked only with a slight accent" and that he had "the face of an aristocrat." Zaroff
entered the military beause "it was expected of noblemen's sons." He is educated and
well traveled as is evidenced by the fact that he has "read all the books on hunting
published in English, French, and Russian" and that he has "hunted every kind of game in
every land." When he left Russia broke, he made his own money by investing in American
securities.

Zaroff is refined in that he has a servant,
lives in a mansion with electricity, dresses for dinner in evening clothes and insists
that his guests do the same, loaning Rainsford his own clothes.  His suits are designer
clothes made by a London clothier "who ordinarily cut and sewed for none below the rank
of duke." When they met for dinner, Rainsford noted Zaroff had "the finest-the linen,
the crystal, the silver, the china."  Although Zaroff served champagne with dinner, he
apologized to Rainsford for any lapses in "the amenities of civilization" as they were
well off the beaten track.  Rainsford was even "finding the general a most thoughtful
and affable host, a true cosmopolite."

Finally, to Zaroff
hunting was a sport.  He was wealthy and did not have to hunt for his food.  This kind
of hunting was the sport of gentlemen and the aristocracy of Europe. It was the kind of
hunting "civilized" and refined people do.  He sees hunting as a game.  As long as he
treats the men he is going to hunt "with every consideration.  they get plenty of good
food and exercise.  They get into splendid condition."  he sees nothing wrong with the
sport of hunting men.

Zaroff thinks he is civilized. 
However, we may not.