medieval-atlas/introductory/23

Transcription

Interaction of natural and anthropogenic processes In the habitat offered by Scotland, throughout historic time natural elements have been varying of their own accord, and have also been affected in complex ways, directly and indirectly, by the actions (deliberate and inadvertent) of people and their animals. And although in popular usage the word "environment" has tended to become shorthand for the physical and biological aspects of our planet, as historians we cannot but be conscious that the effective "environment" of any group also embraces their human interactions in peace and war with other cultures beyond their own land. These physical and human interactions often involve complex networks of interlinked paths, with patterns which have continuously changed their configurations through time. Thus, in contemplating the maps which lie ahead in this atlas, we can seldom afford to regard them as individual. entities with a simple message. We need to consider how far each may reflect physical and human patterns both within Scotland and elsewhere in the world -and we need to re!Jlind ourselves both that these patterns were subject to changes within themselves, and also that they could interact in dynamic ways. These ideas have been represented by some authors in a diagrammatic way. One possibility is offered here:- Network diagram to suggest the multi-directional interplay of local and distant factors 'I' Psychological attitude to innovation G Geology: bedrock and surface deposits S Social aspirations and constraints T Terrain: landscape and configuration R Religious outlook C Climate and microciimates E Economic resources and organisation sL SoilM Material culture and technology V Vegetation and crops A Animals: domestic and wild o Other sociocultural units: also changing through time, and involved in interactions with each other as well as with Scotland Drawn from Le Play's Lieu, Travail, Famille and dePLACE ~WORK ~FOLK veloped by Daryll Forde as 'Habitat, Economy, Society', Patrick Geddes's concept ofmulti-way interaction between 'Place, Work, FOLK ~ PLACE ~WORK Folk' remains a simple but useful tool to help us keep in mind the realities of life in Scotland. His son, Arthur Geddes, used WORK ~FOLK ~PLACE the matrix form to emphasise the multidirectional nature of the interplay. lAM

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