Nature and Society Quiz

Social construction is the theory that any category, condition, or thing is understood to have certain characteristics because people agree that it does. In the context of nature and wilderness, social construction influences how these concepts are perceived and understood, shaping how we interact with and value the natural world.

The Thomas Theorem states that situations perceived as real are real in their consequences, emphasizing that it matters less what something IS compared to what we THINK it is or AGREE that it is. This has significant implications for our perception of nature and wilderness, as our collective beliefs and constructions about these concepts can influence how we interact with and manage the natural environment.

In a common understanding, wilderness and nature are generally constructed as separate from society. Wilderness is often associated with remote, untouched natural areas, while nature encompasses a broader range of natural elements and environments, often perceived as distinct from human influence.

Constructivism examines how concepts, beliefs, and the practices they create and put in place shape both how we understand the world and the world itself. In the context of the natural world, constructivism influences how we perceive and interact with nature and wilderness, impacting conservation efforts, land management, and environmental policies.

The main argument is that the practices and findings of science are socially constructed, even if the methods of science can objectively observe something. Humans in a social context decide what to observe and what our observations mean.

The constructivist paradox is that relativism relies on objectivism to prove its point. It uses science to test the underlying assumptions about 'knowledge' but doesn't trust objectivism.

Co-production is a theory that argues that humans and nonhumans produce and change one another through interactions, presenting an alternative concept in a material world.

The threat of relativism is the theory that all beliefs, truths, and facts are socially constructed in a particular social context, leading to uncertainty about what information to believe or act on.

The formal establishment of science influences what counts as 'good science', who decides, the topics of interest to the scientific community, and the agencies that fund them.

One of the limits of constructivism is that there are things and systems that operate outside of human behavior, no matter what knowledge humans construct about them.

Most relativists will admit that there are influences other than social context, especially in a physical world.

Science challenges ideas of desertification by using science to test the underlying assumptions about 'knowledge' and by not trusting objectivism, thereby benefiting from the challenge and change in knowledge.

The concept of 'nature' includes the essential quality of something and the material world itself, separate from humans.

The understanding of 'natural' properties depends on the social context, which includes cultural and economic relations, governance, and law systems.

The concept of race throughout history demonstrates how 'nature' and 'natural properties' can be socially constructed.

Europeans constructed the image of the New World as pristine and undeveloped to justify displacing its inhabitants.

Environmental discourse consists of narrative, concept, ideology, and signifying practices, and it can represent and may materially change the world.

The discourse of North African desertification, specifically the expansion of the Sahara Desert, has conflicting documentation and interests at play.

The concept of wilderness, specific to Western European cultures, disguises human values as natural conditions and has been used to justify displacement and violence.

Science plays a role in understanding the social construction of nature, as concepts like the 'pristine emptiness' of the New World were used to control environmental resources.

Understanding the social construction of nature requires asking questions about the origins of concepts, their effects, and the interests they support.

Social constructs of nature can have significant real-world consequences, such as justifying violence and land controls, as seen in the case of the New World.

Discourse analysis involves looking at the underlying ideologies expressed in narratives and seeks to understand whose interests are supported.