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Possibilism (geography)

Possibilism (geography) is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Possibilism (geography) rather than just read about it. In short: Possibilism in cultural geography is the theory that the environment sets certain constraints or limitations, but culture is otherwise determined by social conditions. In cultural ecology, Marshall Sahlins used this concept in order to develop alternative approaches to the environmental determinism dominant at that time in ecological studies.

Key takeaways

  • Possibilism (geography) belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
  • Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
  • Connect Possibilism (geography) to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
  • Reproduce the core statement of Possibilism (geography) from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Possibilism in cultural geography is the theory that the environment sets certain constraints or limitations, but culture is otherwise determined by social conditions. In cultural ecology, Marshall Sahlins used this concept in order to develop alternative approaches to the environmental determinism dominant at that time in ecological studies. Strabo posited in 64 BC that humans can make things happen by their own intelligence over time. Strabo cautioned against the assumption that nature and actions of humans were determined by the physical environment they inhabited. He observed that humans were the active elements in a human-environmental partnership and partnering. The controversy between geographical possibilism and determinism might be considered one of (at least) three dominant epistemologic controversies of contemporary geography. The other two controversies are:

the reason why economic strategies can revive life on Earth the contention between Mackinder and Kropotkin about what is—or should be—geography". Possibilism in geography is, thus, considered a distinct approach to geographical knowledge, directly opposed to geographical determinism.

References

External links University of Washington lecture Valparaiso University on La Blache

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Possibilism (geography)

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Possibilism (geography) claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Possibilism (geography) before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Possibilism (geography) ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Possibilism (geography)

In research
Possibilism (geography) appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry
Engineering practice reuses Possibilism (geography) in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom
Possibilism (geography) is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Cultural geography, History of geography, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life
Look for Possibilism (geography) outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.
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How to study Possibilism (geography) in 20 minutes

  1. Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
  2. Close the page and write down what Possibilism (geography) means in your own words.
  3. Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
  4. Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
  5. Explain Possibilism (geography) out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Possibilism (geography) in simple terms?

Possibilism in cultural geography is the theory that the environment sets certain constraints or limitations, but culture is otherwise determined by social conditions. In cultural ecology, Marshall Sahlins used this concept in order to develop alternative approaches to the environmental determinism…

Why does Possibilism (geography) matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Possibilism (geography)?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Possibilism (geography).

Tags

  • Cultural geography
  • History of geography

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