represent nature. According to Michel Foucault, a truth does not have to be close to reality for it to be worth something or have power. For Carolyn Merchant, science can only be given power if a truth is interpreted as having worth. Schools of Thought Relativism is important in the social construction of nature, as all truths are relative to the perspective they are coming from. There are two schools of thought on how the social construction of nature is relative: Critical Realism (being realistic) Pragmatism (being practical) Critical realists reject the idea of relativism and rely more on natural sciences. Pragmatists have no set opinion on the matter and rely on social science and ethics, instead. According to Richard Rorty, relativism is relevant to pragmatism in three ways: Every belief is equally valid There are no criteria for what a truth can be That any truth can be justified by the society it comes from According to Gilbert White, pragmatism has four main assumptions: That human existence is based on putting labor into the land That the idea of owning anything is a conception That humans learn from their experiences That engagement of the publics is what allows for commitments Richard Rorty also associated three characteristics to pragmatism: That all theories characterize some form of truth That there is not difference between what can and should be done when it comes to the truth That knowledge is constrained by the conversations we have Being pragmatic is the more accepted school of thought for social construction being a relative concept. Historical Overview Recovery Narratives 1500s: Francis Bacon (that human intervention in nature is needed to gain back the Garden of Eden on Earth) 1600s: René Descartes (that the world is a machine we can control) 1600s: John Locke (that private property makes humans civilized) 1700s: Adam Smith (that capitalism will bring progress) Present-day: The Christian narrative and the narrative of the Scientific Revolution have merged to become the 'Recovery Narrative of Western Culture' Transitions in Thought 1500s-1600s: The belief that man is responsible for environmental problems 1700s-1800s: The idea that progress is attained through controlling nature Mid-1800s: The realization that humans are having unintended impacts on the environment 1800s-1900s: The belief that technology has all the solutions to our problems 1920s-1930s: The belief that technology is destroying nature 1950s-1960s: The belief that humans risk being annihilated if they do not