Title: The effect of the environment on the physical appearance and mood of humans from the perspective of philosophers

Authors: Abduljaleel Kadhim Alwali

Addresses: Department of Cognitive Science, CHSS United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain Abu Dhabi, UAE

Abstract: This paper seeks to examine the thought of philosophers about the influence of the environment on humans' physical, mental and moral habits, as well as how these philosophers used this influence to categorise individuals according to their habitat. As such this research begins with Herodotus and Hippocrates, and briefly discusses Plato, Aristotle, and seven medieval philosophers belonging to Jewish, Christian, and Islamic religions (Al-Kindi, Eriugena, Al-Farabi, Ibn Sina, Ibn Tufail, Averroes, and Moses Maimonides). Also, this study investigates Montesquieu from the seventh century, eight modern thinkers from the 19th through the 21st centuries, determinism (Carl Ritter, Ellen Churchill Semple, and Ellsworth Huntington), geography of possibilism (Vidal de Blacche, Lucian Febwer, and Cari Sauer), bioregionalism (Richard Evanoff), and meteorology (Frederik Nebeker). Lastly, this study concludes that all aforementioned 19th philosophers agreed that the environment influences human behaviour and physical condition.

Keywords: Aristotle; Averroes; Moses Maimonides; Montesquieu; Ellen Churchill Semple; Richard Evanoff.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSOC.2022.122119

International Journal of Sustainable Society, 2022 Vol.14 No.1, pp.77 - 92

Received: 25 Feb 2021
Accepted: 06 Dec 2021
Published online: 08 Apr 2022 *

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