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Interpreting Nature: Cultural Constructions of the Environment
Human society has constructed many varied notions of the environment. Scientific information about the environment is often seen as the only worthwhile knowledge. This ignores the complexities created by interaction between people and the environment. Idealist thinking argues that everything we know is based on a construct of our minds and that all is possible. Can both be correct and true?
Interpreting Nature explores the position of humanity in the environment from the principle that the models we construct are imperfect and can only be provisional. Having examined the way in which the natural sciences have interrogated nature, the types of data produced and what they mean to us, this looks at the environment within philosophy and ethics, the social sciences and the arts, and analyses their role in the formation of environmental cognition.
Interpreting Nature explores the position of humanity in the environment from the principle that the models we construct are imperfect and can only be provisional. Having examined the way in which the natural sciences have interrogated nature, the types of data produced and what they mean to us, this looks at the environment within philosophy and ethics, the social sciences and the arts, and analyses their role in the formation of environmental cognition.
215 pages, Hardcover
First published February 9, 1993
About the author
I.G. Simmons
21 books3 followersIan Gordon Simmons (born 22 January 1937) is a British geographer. He retired as Professor of Geography from the University of Durham in 2001. He has made significant contributions to environmental history and prehistoric archeology.
Background
Simmons grew up in East London and then East Lincolnshire until the age of 12. He studied physical geography (BSc) and holds a PhD from the University of London (early 1960s) on the vegetation history of Dartmoor.[1] He began university lecturing in his early 20s and was Lecturer and then Reader in Geography at the University of Durham from 1962–1977, then Professor of Geography at the University of Bristol from 1977-1981 before returning to a Chair in Geography at Durham, where he worked until retiring in 2001.
In 1972-73, he taught biogeography for a year at York University, Canada and has held other appointments including Visiting Scholar, St. Johns College, University of Oxford in the 1990s.
Scholarship
His research includes the study of the later Mesolithic and early Neolithic in their environmental setting on English uplands, where he has demonstrated the role of these early human communities in initiating some of Britain's characteristic landscape elements. His work also encompasses the long-term effects of human manipulation of the natural environment and its consequences for resource use and environmental change.
Simmons has authored several books on environmental thought and culture over the ages, and contemporary resource management and environmental justice problems.
Honours
Fellow of the British Academy elected in 1997 for research into human environmental relations, past and future.
FSA Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London
Victoria Medal, Royal Geographical Society 1997
Chairman of the Environmental Working Group of the Institute of British Geographers
Member of the Academia Europaea 1994
Honorary D.Sc., awarded by the University of Aberdeen, 2005
In 2008, it was reported[2] that Jia Jin of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was working on a PhD thesis entitled “On Ian Simmons’ Environmental History Study: Contents, Methodology and Enlightenments” in the Department of World History.
Key publications[edit]
Simmons IG, KJ Gregory, A Brazel, J W Day, EA Keller. 2008. Environmental Sciences: A Student's Companion. Sage Publications.
Simmons, I.G. 2008. Global Environmental History: 10,000 BC to AD 2000. Chicago : University of Chicago Press and Edinburgh University Press.
Simmons IG. 2003. The moorlands of England and Wales: an environmental history 8000 BC to AD 2000. Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press.
Simmons IG 2001 An Environmental History of Great Britain: from 10,000 Years Ago to the Present. Edinburgh University Press.
Atkins P, I. G. Simmons, B. Roberts. 1998. People, Land and Time: An Historical Introduction to the Relations Between Landscape, Culture and Environment. Arnold. ISBN 0340236590
Simmons I.G. 1997. Humanity & Environment: a cultural ecology. Longman. 0582225477
Simmons, I.G. 1996. The environmental impact of later Mesolithic cultures: the creation of moorland landscape in England and Wales. Edinburgh University Press.
Simmons, I.G. 1996. Changing the Face of the Earth: Culture, Environment, History. Oxford: Blackwell. ISBN 0631199241
Simmons I.G. 1993. Environmental History. A concise introduction. Oxford: Blackwell.
Simmons, I.G. 1993. Interpreting nature : cultural constructions of the environment. London: Routledge.
Simmons I.G. 1991. Earth, air and water : resources and environment in the late 20th century. London: Edward Arnold.
Simmons I.G. 1982. Biogeographical processes. London : Allen & Unwin.
Simmons I.G., M. Tooley (eds.) 1981. The Environment in British Prehistory. Duckworth.
Simmons I.G. 1979. Biogeography: natural & cultural. London: Edward Arnold
Simmons I.G. 1975. Rural recreation in the industrial world. London: Edward Arnold,
Simmons I.G. 1974, 1981. The ecology of natural resources. Lo
Background
Simmons grew up in East London and then East Lincolnshire until the age of 12. He studied physical geography (BSc) and holds a PhD from the University of London (early 1960s) on the vegetation history of Dartmoor.[1] He began university lecturing in his early 20s and was Lecturer and then Reader in Geography at the University of Durham from 1962–1977, then Professor of Geography at the University of Bristol from 1977-1981 before returning to a Chair in Geography at Durham, where he worked until retiring in 2001.
In 1972-73, he taught biogeography for a year at York University, Canada and has held other appointments including Visiting Scholar, St. Johns College, University of Oxford in the 1990s.
Scholarship
His research includes the study of the later Mesolithic and early Neolithic in their environmental setting on English uplands, where he has demonstrated the role of these early human communities in initiating some of Britain's characteristic landscape elements. His work also encompasses the long-term effects of human manipulation of the natural environment and its consequences for resource use and environmental change.
Simmons has authored several books on environmental thought and culture over the ages, and contemporary resource management and environmental justice problems.
Honours
Fellow of the British Academy elected in 1997 for research into human environmental relations, past and future.
FSA Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of London
Victoria Medal, Royal Geographical Society 1997
Chairman of the Environmental Working Group of the Institute of British Geographers
Member of the Academia Europaea 1994
Honorary D.Sc., awarded by the University of Aberdeen, 2005
In 2008, it was reported[2] that Jia Jin of the Chinese Academy of Sciences was working on a PhD thesis entitled “On Ian Simmons’ Environmental History Study: Contents, Methodology and Enlightenments” in the Department of World History.
Key publications[edit]
Simmons IG, KJ Gregory, A Brazel, J W Day, EA Keller. 2008. Environmental Sciences: A Student's Companion. Sage Publications.
Simmons, I.G. 2008. Global Environmental History: 10,000 BC to AD 2000. Chicago : University of Chicago Press and Edinburgh University Press.
Simmons IG. 2003. The moorlands of England and Wales: an environmental history 8000 BC to AD 2000. Edinburgh : Edinburgh University Press.
Simmons IG 2001 An Environmental History of Great Britain: from 10,000 Years Ago to the Present. Edinburgh University Press.
Atkins P, I. G. Simmons, B. Roberts. 1998. People, Land and Time: An Historical Introduction to the Relations Between Landscape, Culture and Environment. Arnold. ISBN 0340236590
Simmons I.G. 1997. Humanity & Environment: a cultural ecology. Longman. 0582225477
Simmons, I.G. 1996. The environmental impact of later Mesolithic cultures: the creation of moorland landscape in England and Wales. Edinburgh University Press.
Simmons, I.G. 1996. Changing the Face of the Earth: Culture, Environment, History. Oxford: Blackwell. ISBN 0631199241
Simmons I.G. 1993. Environmental History. A concise introduction. Oxford: Blackwell.
Simmons, I.G. 1993. Interpreting nature : cultural constructions of the environment. London: Routledge.
Simmons I.G. 1991. Earth, air and water : resources and environment in the late 20th century. London: Edward Arnold.
Simmons I.G. 1982. Biogeographical processes. London : Allen & Unwin.
Simmons I.G., M. Tooley (eds.) 1981. The Environment in British Prehistory. Duckworth.
Simmons I.G. 1979. Biogeography: natural & cultural. London: Edward Arnold
Simmons I.G. 1975. Rural recreation in the industrial world. London: Edward Arnold,
Simmons I.G. 1974, 1981. The ecology of natural resources. Lo
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Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review
February 17, 2009
While dense and filled with technical language regarding ethics and valuation, this is a good place to start when trying to understand how concepts such as Nature and Wilderness affect how societies deal with their environments.
Simmons highlights the approach of different economic and ethical systems in their description and language used to delineate the environment and in doing so constrain their own mindspace when dealing with issues of conservation and sustainable practices. For the most part, he approaches this task with equanimity, but he does show, in my opinion, too little criticism for the Marxist view of nature and the effect it's had on environmental damage.
Simmons highlights the approach of different economic and ethical systems in their description and language used to delineate the environment and in doing so constrain their own mindspace when dealing with issues of conservation and sustainable practices. For the most part, he approaches this task with equanimity, but he does show, in my opinion, too little criticism for the Marxist view of nature and the effect it's had on environmental damage.
Displaying 1 - 1 of 1 review