GRY 472: Development of Geographic Thought and Methodology - PDF

UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY GRY 472: DEVELOPMENT OF GEOGRAPHIC THOUGHT AND METHODOLOGY Lecturer: Femi Aiyegbajeje LECTURE 5. The dichotomy between Determinism and Possibilism in Geography Determinism and possibilism are opposing philosophies in geog...

UNIVERSITY OF LAGOS DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY GRY 472: DEVELOPMENT OF GEOGRAPHIC THOUGHT AND METHODOLOGY Lecturer: Femi Aiyegbajeje LECTURE 5. The dichotomy between Determinism and Possibilism in Geography Determinism and possibilism are opposing philosophies in geography that debate the relationship between humans and the environment Determinism suggests that the environment controls human activity, while Possibilism suggests that humans are active agents who can choose from the environment's opportunities. LECTURE 5. The dichotomy between Determinism and Possibilism in Geography In the history of geographical concepts, there have been various approaches and schools of thought for studying man-nature interaction The first approach adopted by the geographers to generalize the patterns of human occupations of the earth’s surface was deterministic Their major initial source for explanations was the physical environment and that theoretical position was established around the belief that the nature of human activity was controlled by the parameters of the physical world within which it was set. LECTURE 5. The dichotomy between Determinism and Possibilism in Geography Determinism: Determinism is one of the most important philosophies that persisted up to the Second World War in one shape or the other. The point of view is that the physical environment controls the course of human action. Their major initial source for explanations was the physical environment In other words, the belief that variation in human behaviour around the world can be explained by the differences in the natural environment. LECTURE 5. The dichotomy between Determinism and Possibilism in Geography The essence of the deterministic school of thought is that the history, culture, living style, and stage of development of a social group or nation are exclusively or largely governed by the physical factors of the environment. The determinists generally consider man a passive agent on which the physical factors are constantly acting and thus determining his attitude and process of decision making. LECTURE 5. The dichotomy between Determinism and Possibilism in Geography In brief, determinists believe that most human activity can be explained as a response to the natural environment. LECTURE 5. The dichotomy between Determinism and Possibilism in Geography The first attempt to explain the physical features and character traits of various peoples and their cultures concerning the influence of natural conditions was made by Greek and Roman scholars. Aristotle, for example, explained the differences between Northern Europeans and Asians in terms of climatic causes. He argued that the colder climates of Europe produced brave but unintelligent people who were able to maintain their independence but who could not rule others LECTURE 5. The dichotomy between Determinism and Possibilism in Geography Aristotle thought that the people inhabiting the warm climates of Asia were intelligent but lacking in spirit and therefore subject to slavery Similarly, Strabo—the Roman geographer—attempted to explain how slope, relief, and climate all were the works of God, and how these phenomena govern the lifestyles of people. Montesquieu pointed out that people in cold climates are stronger physically, more courageous, frank, less suspicious, and less cunning than those in warm climates. The people of warm climates are timorous, weak in body, indolent, and passive. LECTURE 5. The dichotomy between Determinism and Possibilism in Geography Geographical determinism continued to dominate the writings of the Arab geographers. They divided the habitable world into seven kisbwars, or terrestrial zones (climate) LECTURE 5. The dichotomy between Determinism and Possibilism in Geography Possibilism: Possibilism in geography developed as a reaction to extreme generalizations of environmental determinists that led to a counter- thesis, of possibilism, which presented the man as an active rather than a passive agent. This philosophy attempts to explain man and environment relationship in a different way, taking man as an active agent in environment. This is a belief that asserts that the natural environment provides options, the number of which increases as the knowledge and technology of a cultural group develop. LECTURE 5. The dichotomy between Determinism and Possibilism in Geography Led by French geographers, the followers of historian Lucian Febvre, possibilists presented a model of people perceiving the range of alternative uses to which they could put an environment and selecting that which best fitted their cultural dispositions. This point of view was named ‘possibilism’ by Lucien Febvre, who writes: “The true and only geographical problem is that of utilization of possibilities. There are no necessities, but everywhere possibilities. LECTURE 5. The dichotomy between Determinism and Possibilism in Geography According to Febvre, a possibilist, “man is a geographic agent and not the least. He posited that man contributes his share everywhere towards investing the physiognomy of the earth with those changing expressions which is the special charge of geography to study.” This point of view was named ‘possibilism’ by Lucien Febvre, who writes: “The true and only geographical problem is that of utilization of possibilities. There are no necessities, but everywhere possibilities. LECTURE 5. The dichotomy between Determinism and Possibilism in Geography Vidal refuted the concept of physical determinism and advocated possibilism. “Nature sets limits and offers possibilities for human settlement, but the way man reacts or adjusts to these conditions depends on his own traditional way of life.” But, the possibilists recognize the limitations imposed by physical environment. Fabvre echoes this view: “Men can never entirely rid themselves whatever they do of the hold their environment has on them.” LECTURE 5. The dichotomy between Determinism and Possibilism in Geography In similar manner, Brunhes remarks: “The power and means which man has at his disposal are limited and he meets in nature bounds which he cannot cross. Human activity can within certain limits varies its play and its environment, but it cannot do away with its environment, it can only modify it but it can never surpass it, and will always be conditioned by it.” Brunhes further writes: “Nature is not mandatory but permissive.” LECTURE 5. The dichotomy between Determinism and Possibilism in Geography Similarly, Lablache says: “There is no question of geographical determinism, nevertheless, geography is a key that cannot be dispensed with.” Possibilism is also associated with the French School of Geography founded by Vidal de Lablache (1845-1918). The French geographers saw in the physical environment a series of possibilities for human development but argued that the actual ways in which development took place were related to the culture of the people concerned, except perhaps in regions of extremes like deserts and tundra. LECTURE 5. The dichotomy between Determinism and Possibilism in Geography The historian Lucien Febvre (1878-1956) set out to demolish the environmental deterministic argument by asserting the initiative and mobility of man as against the passivity of the environment, and regarded other humans as part of environment, of any group because they contributed to the formation of the next group’s cultural surroundings, or milieu. Among those influenced by this type of thinking was H.J. Fleure (1877-1969) who tried to formulate world regions based on human characteristic rather than the traditional climatic—biotic regions. So he brought forth a scheme which included ‘regions of effort’, ‘regions of hunger’ and ‘industrialized regions’, to name a few. LECTURE 5. The dichotomy between Determinism and Possibilism in Geography Possibilism has also been influential in the rise of the school of cultural geography associated with the name of Carl Ortwin Sauer and the University of California at Berkeley, and with the development of the idea of human ecology. The founder of this latter notion (human ecology) was H.H. Barrows (1877-1960) of the University of Chicago.