The concept of 'environmental determinism' posits that human behavior and societal development are largely shaped by the physical environment. This theory, popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries, argued that climate and geography directly influenced the economic prosperity and cultural characteristics of civilizations. However, modern geographers have largely rejected this deterministic view, favoring instead a 'possibilist' approach. Possibilism suggests that while the environment offers a range of possibilities, human agency and cultural choices ultimately determine which paths are taken. For instance, two societies with identical climates may develop vastly different technologies and social structures due to their unique historical and cultural contexts. Thus, the environment is seen not as a dictator but as a stage upon which human ingenuity plays out.
❓ 本文によると、環境決定論と可能主義の主な違いは何ですか？
A. A. 決定論は気候を重視するのに対し、可能論は地理を重視する。
B. B. 決定論は環境を制限要因と見なす一方、可能論はそれを無限の選択肢の源泉と見なす。
C. C. 決定論は環境が人間の発展を決定づけると主張し、可能論は人間の選択が決定的であると主張する。
D. D. 決定論は19世紀に人気があり、一方で可能論は20世紀に人気となった。
✅ 正确答案
C. Determinism holds that the environment dictates human development, while possibilism holds that human choices are decisive.
IELTS Reading Tips
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