It is human nature to want to explain the inexplicable, to understand how and why things happen. Theories ranging from topics of evolution to dark matter to cognitive behavior seek to explain how aspects of the world work. Likewise, geographers try to understand exactly how the world came to be; how the environment and society interact and influence each other to shape the Earth. In the famous piece “Guns, Germs, and Steel,” author Jared Diamond (1999) describes how the environment in which a society is formed determines exactly what type of culture will emerge. His work, using the theory of environmental determinism, asserts that nature explicitly defines the culture it follows. Although environmental determinism and Diamond's thesis were both widely accepted and famous early on, many modern geographers see numerous major flaws not only in Diamond's piece but also in the theory itself, which calls into question its validity. Environmental determinism has roots of injustice that lead to the justification of inequalities and also does not fully explain the relationship between environments and society. Although highly influential as a springboard for geographic theory, environmental determinism is now seen as a theory of the past. When examining the beliefs of the theory, one notices incomplete explanations reinforced by contradictory examples, thus calling into question the legitimacy of the theory in modern geography. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay To understand the criticisms of how environmental determinism does not fully explain the environmental and social relationship, it is important to recognize the theory's roots and core beliefs. The theory of environmental determinism dates back to the classical and medieval periods and subsequently found much attention in the late 20th century. The basic thesis started from the idea that the physical environment was the independent variable that shapes the dependent variable of human nature. Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs, and Steel (1999) brought attention back to this theory. Unlike alternative theories that follow Diamond's work, such as possibilism or cultural ecology which identify other possible natural and cultural interactions, environmental determinism has an extremely rigorous viewpoint, leaving no room for any explanation other than theory deterministic. Diamond uses Polynesian society in the subjects of his "natural experiment" to show the effects of environmental determinism in a case study. He explains that different Polynesian populations, with the same cultural background spread across the islands of the region, and after some time the "Polynesian island societies differed greatly in their economic specialization, social complexity, political organization and material products, related to differences in size and density of the population, in turn related to differences in land area, fragmentation, isolation and opportunities for subsistence and intensification of food production', but all these differences developed "as environmentally related variations in a single society ancestral." Diamond argues that his case study is one of multiple examples demonstrating how environmental diversification directly predicts the human society that will emerge. To see the flaws in Diamond's article and theory of the matter, it is crucial to first look from close to the idea itself, before diving into the negative aspects and possible incomplete ideas that many modern geographers find. With an understanding of an overview of Diamond's famous piece work and the theory of determinismenvironmental, questions arise about the controversial roots of the theory and the missing elements of both Diamond's natural experiment and the theory. Many modern geographers believe the theory has troubling roots; it is a theory that many believe is used to justify racism, colonialism and imperialism. In Stephen Frenkel's “Geography, Empire, and Environmental Determinism,” the author describes the role of the United States in Panama's path to industrialization and the influence of environmental determinism on development. Frenkel describes environmental determinism as a “plausible interpretation for American reasons and actions… as a discourse that served to legitimize imperialism and racism.” Many modern geographers believe that links to racism and colonialism have no place in the modern world. Beyond the unpleasant roots of environmental determinisms, many see flaws in Diamond's argument, citing his lack of attention to "human consciousness, desire, political power, and the formation of culture as determining the distribution of wealth and candies". This missing piece leads many geographers to search for alternative theories that provide a more complete and up-to-date explanation. Many believe that environmental determinism does not take into account the influences of human thought or culture and the powerful effects that society can have on the environment. Although the theory was highly influential and well regarded in the past, "decades of research have demonstrated that human-environment relationships are complex of intertwined influences and limitations that resist causal correlations of single factors." The combination of the theory's reprehensible past use combined with contempt for human effects culminates in many seeing the theory as an idea of ​​the past, but not the present. The lack of validity of the theory of environmental determinism is evident in many modern examples of countries thriving in environments that determinists would believe would result in less advanced and growing societies. Like Diamond's views in his piece, author Ricardo Hausmann's piece “Prisoners of Geography” echoes Diamond's ideas, explaining that the environment in which a society exists will determine that society's economy. The strong opinions of both authors are called into question when one takes a closer look at some potential counterexamples such as India, a country with skyrocketing population and development. India's economy is growing at an extreme rate, quickly becoming one of the fastest growing economies in the world, but India's extreme economic growth goes against the essential ideas of Diamond and Hausmann, as it is a country on the equator with huge desert and mountainous areas. this should have led to a country in difficulty. India's extreme climate and location would suggest a much less advanced community based on the two authors' theses about environmental determinism, but India is just the opposite, rapidly becoming a major power on the world stage. Many other countries appear to contradict Diamond's thesis, not just India, and question how his thesis applies to the modern world. Furthermore, alternative theories such as possibilism and cultural ecology have emerged since Diamond's article, theories that provide more modern perspectives on the environment-society relationship that are used more frequently. Countries around the world demonstrate that communities can not only thrive in challenging environments, but also adapt and change in a changing environment. There are many ways societies can take shape, not just one possible outcome but multiple. With a growing world and a dynamic climate, the world has seen “individuals and communities undertake adaptation strategies that.