ENVIRONMENTAL DETERMINISM vs. POSSIBILISM

Environmental Determinism Says that the physical environment is the dominant force in shaping cultures. People are passive products of their physical surroundings. Any problems with this theory?

Example: Mountain people would be simple, backward, and conservative because they live secluded from others.

Tibetans

Example: People living in tropical climates would be lazy since they didn’t need to work too hard to get food.

Papua New Guinea

Environmental Determinism Part of the rationale used in colonialism; the Europeans claimed to be naturally stronger and smarter. Any problems you see with this theory?

Possibilism The belief that people and not the environment are the architects of their own cultures. Any environment offers a variety of ways that a culture can possibly develop. The culture is shaped by the choices the people make in interacting with their environments.

And don’t forget Las Vegas-- then…..

And now!

People regard their environments through the lens of their own cultural values, as the resources they need: whatever is useful to them. Some geographers say that the more technologically advanced a society is, the more POSSIBILITIES it has to shape its environment. But of course we all know--

You can’t control Mother Nature!

New Orleans