Which of the following statements about 'Neo-determinism' are correct?
A. It is also known as 'stop and go determinism'.
B. Neither is there a situation of absolute necessity nor there is a condition of absolute freedom.
C. It attempts to bring a balance nullifying the 'either' 'or' dichotomy.
D. Humans have adapted to the dictates of nature.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 2
The correct answer is Option (2) → A, B, C only
Neo-determinism is the middle path between two old ideas. Environmental determinism says nature controls human beings. Possibilism says human beings are free to do what they want with nature. Griffith Taylor said the truth lies in between: people can develop, but only within the limits that nature allows.
(A) It is also known as ‘stop and go determinism’. — Correct. The idea is explained with traffic lights. People stop when nature shows a red signal and go ahead when nature permits, so it is called stop and go determinism.
(B) Neither is there a situation of absolute necessity nor there is a condition of absolute freedom. — Correct. “Absolute necessity” is environmental determinism, and “absolute freedom” is possibilism. Neo-determinism accepts neither extreme.
(C) It attempts to bring a balance nullifying the ‘either’ ‘or’ dichotomy. — Correct. A dichotomy is a split into two opposite sides. Neo-determinism does not ask us to pick either nature or human beings. It balances the two.
(D) Humans have adapted to the dictates of nature. — Incorrect. This describes early human societies with very little technology. They obeyed nature, feared it and worshipped it. That is environmental determinism, not neo-determinism.
NCERT (2026-27): “A geographer, Griffith Taylor introduced another concept which reflects a middle path (Madhyam Marg) between the two ideas of environmental determinism and possibilism. He termed it as Neodeterminism or stop and go determinism. … The concept shows that neither is there a situation of absolute necessity (environmental determinism) nor is there a condition of absolute freedom (possibilism). It means that human beings can conquer nature by obeying it. … The neo-determinism conceptually attempts to bring a balance nullifying the ‘either’ ‘or’ dichotomy.” “Naturalisation of Humans and Humanisation of Nature … In the early stages of their interaction with their natural environment humans were greatly influenced by it. They adapted to the dictates of Nature. This is so because the level of technology was very low and the stage of human social development was also primitive. This type of interaction between primitive human society and strong forces of nature was termed as environmental determinism.” |