Society is a dynamic, constantly evolving system. The development of society is influenced by many factors, among them it is customary to single out the objective factors of the development of society, those that do not directly depend on the will and conscious activity of people and social groups and subjective factors in the development of society, depending on the will, interest and conscious activity of a person and various social groups.
The most important objective factor in the development of society is nature. So, ancient civilizations arose on the banks of the great rivers (they are called “river civilizations”). However, the natural factor can contribute to death. A prime example The influence of the natural factor on the development and death of civilizations is the Minoan civilization, the flourishing of which was facilitated by more favorable natural conditions, and the death was accelerated by a volcanic eruption.
natural factor gives impetus to the technological factor - in favorable conditions of the tropics, hunting and gathering satisfy basic human needs, but changing conditions lead to the need to search for new technologies - ways to ensure human needs. Agriculture, cattle breeding, handicraft, trade appear. New forms of life support require the complication of the organization of society, the improvement of culture. Some scholars attribute the emergence of states to the need for massive irrigation works, for example, in the Nile Valley.
technological factor can contribute to the rapid development of society, demographic growth, due to which there is more possibilities appear subjective factors.
The main subjective factors in the development of society are populace, social groups and historical figures.
All factors can contribute both progress and regression of society.
If we look back and remember what society was like 200, 500, 1000 years ago, then we will definitely come to the conclusion that community development moves forward from simpler and more primitive forms to more complex and perfect ones, i.e. society is progressing. Progress is the direction of development, which is characterized by the progressive movement of society from lower and simple shapes public organization to higher and more complex ones. The concept of progress is opposed to the concept of regress, which is characterized by reverse movement- from higher to lower, degradation, return to obsolete forms.
The idea of the development of society as progressive process finally took shape in the writings of the French enlighteners (Anne Robert Jacques Turgot, Marie Jean Antoine de Condorcet, etc.). As a criterion for progress, they singled out the development human mind, the spread of education. A number of thinkers of the 19th century (for example, Henri Saint-Simon, Francois Marie Charles Fourier) singled out the development of public morality as a criterion for progress. Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel associated progress with the degree of consciousness of freedom. Marxism singled out the development of productive forces as the main criterion of progress.
AT modern sociology historical progress is associated with the process of modernization, i.e., the transition from a traditional society to an industrial one, and then to a post-industrial one.
Based on the foregoing, we can say that the main criterion for progress is the degree of freedom that society provides to the individual for maximum development her possibilities.
However, moving forward does not exclude return movements, regression. So, the development of tools, high performance labor - an obvious evidence of progress, but they have given rise to global environmental and raw material problems. The conveniences of city life are accompanied by numerous "diseases of urbanization". Progress is inconsistent. The inconsistency of progress lies in the fact that progress in one area of public life may be accompanied by, or even be the cause of, regression in another area of public life.
(Additional reference) The development of society, its sources and driving forces:
Progress (forward movement, success) is the idea that society develops from simple to complex, from lower to higher, from less ordered to more organized and fair.
Regression is the idea of such a development of society, when it becomes less complex, developed, cultural than it was.
Stagnation is a temporary halt in development.
Progress criteria:
1) Condorcet (XVIII century) considered the development of the mind as the criterion of progress.
2) Saint-Simon: the criterion of progress is morality. Society should be such where all people in relation to each other are brothers.
3) Schelling: progress is a gradual approach to the legal system.
4) Hegel (19th century): sees progress in the consciousness of freedom.
5) Marx: progress is the development of material production, which allows you to master the elemental forces of nature and achieve social harmony and progress in the spiritual sphere.
6) B modern conditions progress is:
- life expectancy of society;
- Lifestyle;
- spiritual life.
Reform (change) - a change in any area of \u200b\u200blife, carried out by the authorities peacefully ( social change public life).
Types of reforms: – economic,
– political (changes in the Constitution, electoral system, legal sphere).
Revolution (turn, upheaval) - a radical, qualitative change in any basic phenomena.
Modernization is adaptation to new conditions.
What drives human history (?):
1) Providentialists: everything in the world comes from God, according to divine providence.
2) History is made by great people.
3) Society develops according to objective laws.
a) Some scientists adhere to the position that this is the theory of social evolutionism: society, as part of nature, develops progressively and goes unilinear.
b) Others adhere to the theory of historical materialism: driving force development of society is the recognition of the primacy of the material needs of people.
From Weber's point of view, the source and driving force of the development of society is the Protestant ethic: a person must work to become God's chosen one for salvation.
Topic 8. Natural factors in the development of society
The life of society takes place in a certain natural environment and therefore the latter undoubtedly influences the development of society. In this topic, specific natural factors and conditions affecting society are considered. Natural factors of the same kind directly affect the life and health of people and therefore they are classified as environmental determinants. To natural conditions and the factors on which the development of the productive forces of society depends include geographical conditions its existence (climate, soil, availability of minerals, forests, rivers, lakes, etc.).
The impact of geographical factors on society has been noted by many historians, geographers, politicians and statesmen. Sometimes this impact was so greatly exaggerated that the geographical environment acted as the main determinant of the development of society; such views are rightly characterized as geographical determinism. Population also has an impact on the development of society and its productive forces, but if before early XIX century, population growth was assessed positively, then later some economists and sociologists began to see it as a negative factor. The most prominent exponents of such negative views were T. Malthus and his followers, the Malthusians. Criticizing their views, it should be shown that demographic processes are determined not so much by biological as by socio-economic factors.
Key points for discussion. What is meant by geographic environment? What is the essence of geographical determinism? Describe the views of C. Montesquieu on the role of the geographical environment. What is G. Bockl's contribution to the understanding of the geographical environment? What role does L.I. Mechnikov assign to the natural environment and riverine civilizations? What is environmental determinism? What effect does population have on the development of society? What is the doctrine of T. Malthus about population? How is the population factor estimated in the materialistic understanding of history?
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Social life
The ratio of natural and social in man
Role natural factors in shaping social life
Social life
Culture and its influence on social development
Conclusion
Literature
Nature ratioone and social in man
In the structure of human nature, three components of it can be found: biological nature, social nature and spiritual nature.
In the biological nature of man, genetically laid general state health and longevity; temperament, which is one of four possible types: choleric, sanguine, melancholic and phlegmatic; talents and inclinations. At the same time, it should be taken into account that each person is a biologically non-repeated organism, the structures of its cells and DNA molecules (genes).
Biological nature is the only real basis on which a person is born and exists. Each separate individual, each person exists from that time until his biological nature exists and lives. But with all his biological nature, man belongs to the animal world. And man is born only as an animal species Homo sapiens; is not born a man, but only a candidate for a man. The newborn biological creature Homo Sapiens has yet to become a man in the full sense of the word.
The biological nature of man inherited from the animal world. And the biological nature of every animal being steadily requires that, having been born, it satisfies its biological needs: eat, drink, grow, mature, mature and reproduce its own kind in order to recreate its kind. To recreate one's own kind - that's why the individual animal is born, comes into the world.
The same meaning of life is invested by biological nature in human life. A person, having been born, must receive from his ancestors everything necessary for his existence, growth, maturation, and having matured, reproduce his own kind, give birth to a child.
The social nature also imposes on man the criteria for determining the meaning of his life.
On the one hand, man is the highest level of development of matter, it is a living organism. This means that as a species representing the highest degree development of animal organisms on Earth, it is included in the natural connection of phenomena and obeys the laws of development of animal organisms. On the other hand, man is a social being. Its essence is developed in society, in interaction with other people, in the process social activities. It is the result of a long development of man in society.
Only society ensures the existence of a person both as an individual, personality, and as a biological species. People live in society, primarily in order to biologically survive for each individual and for the entire human race in general. Society, and not an individual, is the only guarantor of the existence of man as a biological species Homo Sapiens. Only society accumulates, preserves and passes on to the next generations the experience of man's struggle for survival, the experience of the struggle for existence. Hence, in order to preserve both the species and the individual (personality), it is necessary to preserve the society of this individual (personality). Consequently, for each individual person, from the point of view of his nature, society has greater value than he himself individual person. That is why, even at the level of biological interests, the meaning of human life is to protect society more than one's own, separate, life. Even in the event that in the name of preserving this, one's own, society, it is necessary to sacrifice one's personal life.
The role of natural factors in shaping social life
The concept of "social life" is used to refer to a complex of phenomena that arise in the course of interaction between a person and social communities, as well as sharing natural resources needed to meet needs. There are biological, geographic, demographic and economic fundamentals public life.
When analyzing the foundations of social life, one should analyze the features of human biology as social subject that create the biological possibilities of human labor, communication, mastery social experience accumulated by previous generations. These include such an anatomical feature of a person as a straight gait.
It allows you to get a better view environment and use hands in the process of labor.
An important role in social activity is played by such a human organ as a hand with an opposing thumb. human hands can perform complex operations and functions, and the person himself can participate in various types labor activity. This should also include a look directed forward, and not to the sides, allowing you to see in three directions, complex mechanism vocal cords, larynx and lips, contributing to the development of speech. human brain and a complex nervous system enable the high development of the psyche and intellect of the individual. The brain serves as a biological prerequisite for reflecting the entire wealth of the spiritual and material culture and its further development.
In people different races brought up in the same cultural conditions, develop the same views, aspirations, ways of thinking and activity. It is important to note that upbringing alone cannot arbitrarily shape the educatee either. Inborn talent (for example, musical) has important influence to social life.
Let's analyze various aspects the influence of the geographical environment on the life of a person as a subject of social life. It should be noted that there is a certain minimum of natural and geographical conditions that are necessary for the successful development of man.
The nature of occupation, type of economic activity, objects and means of labor, food products, etc. - all this significantly depends on the habitation of a person in a particular zone (in the polar zone, in the steppe or in the subtropics).
Researchers note the influence of climate on human performance. Hot climate reduces time vigorous activity. The cold climate requires great efforts from people to maintain life.
temperate climate in most encourages activity. Factors such as Atmosphere pressure, air humidity, winds are important factors that affect human health, which acts an important factor social life.
Soils play an important role in the functioning of social life. Their fertility combined with favorable climate creates conditions for the progress of the people living on them. This affects the pace of development of the economy and society as a whole. Poor soils hinder the achievement of a high standard of living, require significant expenditures of human effort.
No less important in social life is the terrain. The presence of mountains, deserts, rivers can become a natural defensive system for a particular people.
At the stage of the initial development of a particular nation, the geographical environment left its specific imprint on its culture, both in its economic, political, and spiritual and aesthetic aspects. This is indirectly expressed in certain specific habits, customs, rituals, in which the features of the life of the people associated with the conditions of their residence are manifested.
Thus, geographical factors played a significant role in the formation of culture at the initial stages of the development of a particular people. Subsequently, being reflected in culture, they can be reproduced by the people regardless of the original habitat.
Based on the foregoing, it should be noted that when considering the role of the geographical environment, "geographical nihilism", a complete denial of its impact on the functioning of society, is unacceptable. On the other hand, one cannot share the point of view of the representatives of "geographical determinism", who see an unambiguous and unidirectional relationship between the geographical environment and the processes of social life, when the development of society is completely determined by geographical factors. Accounting creative possibilities personality, the development on this basis of science and technology, culture Exchange between peoples create a certain independence of man from the geographical environment. However, human social activity must harmoniously fit into the natural and geographical environment. It must not violate its basic eco-ties.
Social life
Society as a whole is the largest system. Its most important subsystems are economic, political, social, spiritual. In society, such subsystems as classes, ethnic, demographic, territorial and professional groups, family, etc. are also distinguished. Each of these subsystems includes many other subsystems. They can mutually regroup, the same individuals can be elements various systems. An individual cannot disobey the requirements of the system in which he is included. He more or less accepts its norms and values. However, in society there are simultaneously various forms social activities and behaviors between which one can choose.
In order for society to function as a whole, each subsystem must perform specific, strictly certain functions. Functions of subsystems mean satisfaction, any public needs. Yet together they are aimed at maintaining the stability of society.
The development of social life is a gradual transition from lower to higher socio-economic formations: from primitive communal to slave-owning, then to feudal, capitalist and communist.
Any civilization is characterized not only by a specific social production technology, but also, to no lesser extent, by a culture corresponding to it. It has a certain philosophy, socially significant values, a generalized image of the world, a specific way of life with its own special life principle, the basis of which is the spirit of the people, its morality, conviction, which also determine a certain attitude towards oneself.
The civilizational approach in sociology presupposes taking into account and studying that peculiar and original that exists in the organization of the social life of an entire region.
In the sphere of production and economic relations, this is the achieved level of development of technology and technology, generated by a new stage of the scientific and technological revolution, the system commodity-money relations, presence of the market.
AT political sphere the general civilizational base includes constitutional state operating on the basis of democratic norms.
In the spiritual and moral sphere, the common heritage of all peoples is the great achievements of science, art, culture, as well as universal moral values.
Social life is shaped by a complex set of forces in which natural phenomena and processes are just one of the elements. Based on the conditions created by nature, manifests itself complex interaction individuals, which forms a new integrity, society as a social system. Labor, as a fundamental form of activity, underlies the development of diverse types of organization of social life.
Social life can be defined as a complex of phenomena arising from the interaction of individuals, social groups, in a certain space, and the use of products located in it, necessary to satisfy needs.
Social life arises, reproduces and develops precisely because of the presence of dependencies between people. A person, in order to satisfy his needs, must interact with other individuals, be part of a social group, participate in joint activities.
Dependence can be elementary, direct dependence on your comrade, brother, colleague. Dependence can be complex, mediated. For example, our dependence individual life on the level of development of society, performance economic system, efficiency political organization society, the state of morals. There are dependencies between different communities of people (between urban and rural residents, students and workers, etc.).
Social connection is nothing but dependence, which is realized through social action and acts in the form of social interaction. Let us consider in more detail such elements of social life as social action and interaction.
A striking example of interaction - manufacturing process. Here there is a deep and close coordination of the system of actions of partners on issues for which a connection has been established between them, for example, the production and distribution of goods. An example of social interaction can be communication with work colleagues, friends. In the process of interaction, the exchange of actions, services, personal qualities etc.
So, in all subjects that are significant for satisfying his needs, a person enters into a deep, conjugated interaction with other people, with society as a whole. Social ties are thus a set of interactions consisting of actions and responses. As a result of the repetition of one or another type of interaction, different types relationships between people.
The relations that connect the social subject (individual, social group) with objective reality, and which are aimed at its transformation, are called human activity. Purposeful human activity consists of individual actions and interactions. In general, human activity is distinguished by its creatively transformative nature, activity and objectivity.
It can be material and spiritual, practical and theoretical, transformative and cognitive, etc. At the core human activity is social action.
cultureand its impact on societydevelopment
Currently, there are about 300 options for defining culture. Such a diversity, of course, indicates that culture in the life of mankind occupies special place. It is an indicator of the material and spiritual maturity of society. It embodies the abilities of society in each specific historical period ensure the functioning of public life.
These abilities are characterized by the level of knowledge achieved, the quality and variety of the tools and means of life created, the ability to practically apply them and use them for creative purposes, the degree of mastery of the elemental forces of nature, and the improvement of social life in the interests of society. Culture, obviously, acts as a qualitative side of any activity, as a way of thinking and behavior. At the same time, it represents certain values, both material and spiritual. AT real life they are merged, but there are differences. Material culture, as a rule, is objective, tangible. Spiritual values can act not only in the material shell, but also in the act of creative activity.
The components of material culture have a clear value expression. This cannot be said about spiritual culture: many of its objects are priceless and unique. Some researchers identify culture with the whole social sphere, others - with spiritual life, others represent it as a combination of material and spiritual values, etc.
However, it seems that the content of this category cannot be limited to any one sphere of life (material or spiritual), one value characteristic (aesthetic, moral or political), one form of activity (cognitive, educational, organizational, etc.) .
Each stage of society is distinguished by a certain cultural and historical specificity. These differences are many: the number of accumulated cultural objects and methods of their production, the assimilation and understanding of the experience of previous generations, the relationship between various types cultural activities, objects of culture and human culture, the spirit of culture, influencing the system of principles, norms and rules of social life.
Culture performs diverse and responsible social functions. First of all, according to Smelser, it structures social life, that is, it does the same thing as genetically programmed behavior in the life of animals. Assimilated behavior, common to a whole group of people and transmitted from generation to generation, is culture. This process itself is called socialization. In its course, values, beliefs, norms, ideals become part of the personality and form its behavior.
The spiritual and moral function of culture is closely connected with socialization. It identifies, systematizes, addresses, reproduces, preserves, develops and transmits Eternal values in society - goodness, beauty, truth. Values exist as complete system. The set of values generally accepted in a particular social group, country, expressing their special vision of social reality, is called mentality. There are political, economic, aesthetic and other values. The dominant type of values are moral values, which represent the preferred options for relationships between people, their connections with each other and society.
Culture also has a communicative function, which makes it possible to consolidate the connection between the individual and society, to see the connection of times, to establish the connection of progressive traditions, to establish mutual influence (mutual exchange), to select the most necessary and expedient for replication.
You can also name such aspects of the purpose of culture as being an instrument of development social activity, citizenship.
Active development of funds mass media in the twentieth century led to the emergence of new cultural forms. Among them, the so-called Mass culture. It arose along with the emergence of a society of mass production and mass consumption.
AT recent times, there was another new form culture - screen (virtual), associated with the computer revolution, based on the synthesis of a computer with video technology.
Sociologists note that culture is very dynamic. So, in the second half of the twentieth century. occurred in culture significant changes: the mass media received tremendous development, an industrial-commercial type of production of standardized spiritual goods arose, leisure time and spending on leisure increased, culture became a branch of the market economy.
social public natural culture
Conclusion
A person exists due to the exchange of substances with the environment. He breathes, consumes various natural products, exists as a biological body within certain physical, chemical, organic and other environmental conditions. As a natural, biological being, a person is born, grows, matures, grows old and dies.
All this characterizes a person as a biological being, determines his biological nature. But at the same time, he differs from any animal, and above all by the following features: he produces his own environment(housing, clothing, tools), changes the world not only according to the measure of his utilitarian needs, but also according to the laws of knowledge of this world, as well as according to the laws of morality and beauty, he can act not only according to need, but also in accordance with the freedom of his will and imagination, the action of an animal is oriented solely to satisfy physical needs (hunger, procreation instinct, group, species instincts, etc.); makes his life activity an object, relates to it meaningfully, purposefully changes, plans.
All his natural inclinations and senses, including hearing, sight, smell, become socially and culturally oriented. He evaluates the world according to the laws of beauty developed in a given public system, acts according to the laws of morality that have developed in a given society. It develops new, not only natural, but also social spiritual and practical feelings. These are, first of all, feelings of sociality, collectivity, morality, citizenship, spirituality.
Together, these qualities, both innate and acquired, characterize the biological and social nature person.
Culture gives a person a sense of belonging to a community, brings up control over his behavior, determines the style of practical life. However, culture is decisive way social interactions, integration of individuals into society.
Literature
1. Dubinin N.P. What is a person. - M.: Thought, 1983.
2. Lavrienko V.N. Sociology: A textbook for universities - M.: UNITI-DANA, 2004.
3. Prokopova M.V. Fundamentals of sociology: Tutorial- M.: RDL Publishing House, 2001.
4. Sokolova V.A. Fundamentals of sociology. Rostov n / D: Phoenix, 2000.
5. Efendiev. A.G. Fundamentals of sociology. Lecture course. Rep. ed. M., 1993.
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Topic 8. Natural factors in the development of society
| Parameter name | Meaning |
| Article subject: | Topic 8. Natural factors in the development of society |
| Rubric (thematic category) | Story |
The life of society takes place in the conditions of a certain natural environment, and in this regard, the latter undoubtedly affects the development of society. In this topic, specific natural factors and conditions affecting society are considered. Natural factors of one kind directly affect the life and health of people and in this regard they are classified as environmental determinants. The natural conditions and factors on which the development of the productive forces of society depends include the geographical conditions of its existence (climate, soil, the presence of minerals, forests, rivers, lakes, etc.).
The impact of geographical factors on society has been noted by many historians, geographers, politicians and statesmen. Sometimes this impact was so greatly exaggerated that the geographical environment acted as the main determinant of the development of society; such views are rightly characterized as geographical determinism. The population also has an impact on the development of society and its productive forces, but if until the beginning of the 19th century population growth was assessed positively, then later some economists and sociologists began to see it as a negative factor.
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The most prominent exponents of such negative views were T. Malthus and his followers, the Malthusians. Criticizing their views, it should be shown that demographic processes are determined not so much by biological as by socio-economic factors.
Key points for discussion. What is meant by geographic environment? What is the essence of geographical determinism? Describe the views of C. Montesquieu on the role of the geographical environment. What is G. Bockl's contribution to the understanding of the geographical environment? What role does L.I. Mechnikov assign to the natural environment and riverine civilizations? What is environmental determinism? What impact does population have on the development of society? What is the doctrine of T. Malthus about population? How is the population factor assessed in the materialistic understanding of history?
Topic 8. Natural factors in the development of society - the concept and types. Classification and features of the category "Theme 8. Natural factors in the development of society" 2017, 2018.
Let's start with the analysis initial concepts- "nature" and "society".
The term "nature" is used in two senses. Nature in a broad sense- everything that exists, the whole world, the Universe, i.e. everything around, including man and society. nature in narrow sense - the natural environment in which the life of a person and society takes place (the surface of the Earth with its special qualitative characteristics: climate, minerals, etc.).
Society there is a detached part of nature, which has become an independent, socio-cultural reality as a result of the joint activity of people. The phenomena of culture and civilization are artificially created, second nature. Nature is much older than society, but since the existence of mankind, the history of people and the history of nature have been inextricably linked with each other: society is not isolated from nature, not protected from the influence of natural forces, both positive and negative.
The relationship of nature, society and man has always attracted the attention of philosophy.
ancient philosophy gave priority to nature, to the Cosmos as a living ordered whole. The ideal for a person, understood as a part of the Cosmos, was considered to live in harmony with nature.
AT Middle Ages nature was placed lower than man, for the latter was conceived as the image and likeness of God, as the crown of creation and the king of earthly nature. It was believed that God's plan was embodied in nature.
AT renaissance man discovered beauty in nature. The unity of man and nature was affirmed, but man is already striving to subjugate nature.
This aspiration becomes the leading one in new time when nature becomes an object scientific knowledge and active transformative activities person.
Over time, such a utilitarian-pragmatic attitude to nature began to dominate in all technogenic civilizations up to our days. As an opposition to this approach, the awareness of the need for cooperation between man and nature, an equal dialogue with it, is maturing.
Given the fact of the interaction of nature and society, we will focus on this issue on the role of nature in the life and development of society. It is clear that nature, forming natural environment human habitat is necessary condition existence and development of society.
The most important component nature is geographical environment- part of nature involved in the sphere practical activities person. More specifically, it refers to the set geographical location, surface devices, soil cover, fossil wealth, climate, water resources, flora and fauna on the territory of the Earth on which a certain species lives and develops. human society. In other words, the geographical environment is represented by such components of nature as: lithosphere, atmosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere.
Especially big role plays in it biosphere – living shell of our planet, the area of interaction between living and non-living, which, according to Vernadsky, with the advent of people passes into a qualitatively new state - the noosphere.
The society also has its constituent parts:
▪ anthroposphere- area of human life biological organisms;
▪ sociosphere– area public relations between people;
▪ biotechnosphere– area of distribution technical influence humanity.
Allocate three aspects of the impact of nature on society:
▪ ecological- "nature around us" (geographical environment, as well as part of the near space, which is mastered by man);
▪ anthropological– “nature is within us” (= the natural-biological principle in man himself: heredity, racial characteristics, temperament, inclinations);
▪ demographic characterizing the biological characteristics of the entire human race.
These features are expressed in terms of population” (= a continuously reproducing collection of people living in a certain territory), its “ sex and age structure», « growth», « density". The laws of population (birth, death, increase or decrease) are of a historical, biosocial nature. It is recorded that the population of the Earth is noticeably increasing from epoch to epoch.
There is a concept that states that population growth is a factor that determines the development of society. Within its framework, there were two options: 1) population growth is good for society, because stimulates the development of production ( V. Petty in 17th century England M.M. Kovalevsky in Russia, 19th century) 2) population growth is evil, the source of social disasters. So, English economist and the priest T.R.Malthus(1766-1834) in his work "An Essay on the Law of Population" argued that population growth, if it does not meet with resistance, occurs in geometric progression(doubling every 25 years) and livelihood growth in arithmetic. Hence Malthus concludes that the main evil that leads to the poverty of the population is its growth.
Despite the inaccuracies in calculations and forecasts, for the first time in Malthus the question of population becomes an object of strict scientific research. Moreover, modern demographic situation characterized as " population explosion » - a rapid increase in population growth due to the countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America: if in 2000 the population of the Earth was 6 billion people, now it is already about 7 billion, in 2025 it is expected to be 8 billion, and in 2050 - 9.3 billion.
The reverse side of the problem is the decline in population growth in a number of developed countries: in Germany, Great Britain, Switzerland, etc. Negative dynamics is also observed in Russia, Ukraine, Belarus. In general, maintaining the current rate of population growth on the Earth can lead to the destruction of the natural environment, economic decline, deterioration in the quality of life of people, problems of migrants... ways to feed humanity, incl. due to the achievements of science, but this should be consistent with the solution of environmental problems.
The impact of nature on society (in its environmental aspect) received insight within geographical determinism- directions in social philosophy, according to which the factors of the geographical environment play a decisive role in the life and development of society. The foundations of this approach were outlined in antiquity ( Hippocrates), but it is especially widespread with early XVI in. - the time of the beginning of the great geographical discoveries.
One of the major representatives of geographical determinism in modern times C. Montesquieu In his book "On the Spirit of Laws" he held the idea that climate, soil, terrain determine the moral and psychological appearance of the people, and through this - the laws, the social system.
So if southern peoples relaxed and lazy, then the peoples of the North, where the climate is harsh and the soil poor, are brave and inclined to defend their freedom. As a result, despotisms are more likely to take shape in the south than in the north. Montesquieu's conclusion: "The power of climate is stronger than all powers!"
Geographic direction presented in our country. K.I.Ber(17921876) argued that the fate of peoples is determined "in advance and inevitably by the nature of the area they occupy." L.I. Mechnikov(1838-1888) also sought to prove that the geographical environment is the decisive force in historical progress, while emphasizing the role waterways messages. The development of society, according to him, goes from the most ancient, isolated from each other, river civilizations, to sea, and then oceanic, which begin with the discovery of America. This process, according to Mechnikov, leads to an acceleration of the development of society, to an increase in its dynamics.
Some domestic thinkers posed the question more broadly - about the influence space factors on the development of society Chizhevsky, L. Gumilyov, Vernadsky and etc.).
Geographical determinism as a whole is criticized for a certain metaphysical thinking, for the fact that it does not take into account the evolution of society and its reverse impact on nature. However, despite the one-sidedness of the considered theories, they reflect some important points influence of natural factors on social life.
