Understandings of nature KGA172 Space, Place and Nature Written and presented by Associate Professor Elaine Stratford Semester 2

LOOKING BACK, LOOKING FORWARD Part 1

Learning Objectives Module 2 Lecture 1 be able to – understand that, as an abstract noun, the term ‘nature’ describes a constellation of meanings, and that these are contingent upon context – in other words, what we think of as nature varies over time and in different places – explain how three different ideas of nature might be applied to studies of society-nature relationships, these being nature as the non-human world or environment nature as the essence of things and nature as an inherent force ordering humans and the more than human world – debate and appreciate others’ ideas of nature KGA172 Know and be able to (a) employ basic geographical terminology and concepts, (b) find, evaluate, analyse and reference appropriate literature, (c) contribute to debates about development and sustainability Comprehend and be able to explain spatial patterns, generate basic maps, field sketches and graphs, and communicate in written and graphical forms Apply key academic skills and (a) engage in critical thinking, discussion and listening, and in self-reflection and reflection upon the viewpoints of others and (b) research, plan and conduct fieldwork to collect data Analyse and interpret basic spatial, numerical and qualitative information Synthesize and integrate knowledge of social and Earth systems

Textbook Reading CastreeCastree, N. (2005) Strange Natures, Nature, Routledge, pp 1-9. HardingHarding, R. (1998) Value systems and paradigms, in Environmental decision-making: the role of scientists, engineers and the public, pp The Federation Press, Annandale. Critical reading 1. What is the author’s purpose? 2. What key questions or problems does the author raise? 3. What information, data and evidence does the author present? 4. What key concepts does the author use to organize this information, this evidence? 5. What key conclusions is the author coming to? Are those conclusions justified? 6. What are the author’s primary assumptions? 7. What viewpoints is the author writing from? 8. What are the implications of the author’s reasoning? [from Foundation for Critical Thinking]Foundation for Critical Thinking A man in a library

IDEAS ABOUT NATURE Part 2

Quantitative and qualitative research a list of comparative practices and tendencies not rules to separate Quantitative methods Numerical Controlled and experimental settings Scientific method Deductive approaches Nomothetic Qualitative methods Non-numerical Natural settings Social and interpretive methods Inductive approaches Idiographic

“‘nature’ is a human idea, with a long and complicated cultural history which has led different human beings to conceive of the natural world in very different ways”. William Cronon (1996) Uncommon Ground: Rethinking the Human Place in Nature, W.W. Norton & Company, New York, p.20

Pain, R., Barke, M., Fuller, D., Gough, J., MacFarlane, R. and Mowl, G. (2001) Introducing Social Geographies, Arnold, London, p.189. How do we access nature? Self in culture Our understandings of nature

Castree, N. (2005) Nature, Routledge, London and New York, p.xviii How do we comprehend nature?

Paradigm A worldview shared by a knowledge producing community, e.g. the natural sciences. A paradigm is a conceptual framework that sets the group’s boundaries, guides the questions to be asked and the methods that should be used to answer those questions, e.g. the theory of evolution is a paradigm.

Environmental Determinism Assumes a one-way relationship between the environment and humans. Environment is the sole determinant of the attitudes and capability of a given society. Environment is the cause of human effect. NatureSociety

A mutually constitutive relationship A two-way relationship Cannot understand an environmental issue without understanding societal factors and how the two interact

The many natures in Western culture Animist roots – a living universe Christian roots – a gifted universe Early-modern science – a clockwork/mechanistic universe Early-modern romanticism – a picturesque universe Modern development – a servile universe Modern ecological science – an interdependent universe Modern ecological politics – a precious universe Sustainable development – a manageable universe? Ethic of sustainability – a moral universe? Detail: Roman flooring, Vatican, September 2009

THE NON-HUMAN WORLD … AND YET Castree’s meanings of nature I

Nature

THE ESSENCE OF SOMETHING Castree’s meanings of nature II

Genome

AN INHERENT FORCE Castree’s meanings of nature III

Gaia: earth mother Ward, P. New Scientist, 20 June 2009, p. 28 Gaia hypothesis

The murderous Medea Ward, P., New Scientist, 20 June 2009, p. 29 Medea hypothesis

Order