Four Theories Of Disasters
The Four Fundamental Theories of Disasters
The Four Fundamental Theories of Disasters
Over the course of human history mankind has viewed natural disasters with a wide range of theories as to their causes and meanings. As we have come to learn more about our world through science and observation, we have changed our perspective as well as our methods for coping with and avoiding disasters. Over time, researchers have identified four fundamental theories of disasters that humans have held, or still hold. These theories can be labeled; Acts of God, Acts of Nature, the Joint effects of Nature and Society, and Social Constructions (Perry, Prater & Lindell, 2006). The significance of these varying and evolving theories is that the perception of how and why disasters take place has a profound effect on a community’s strategy for dealing with them.
The first theory of disasters to emerge was the theory that they were an “Act of God”, the whims of a higher supernatural power over which mankind had no control. The ancient Greek philosopher Homer (c. 900 BC) consistently refers to Poseidon, the god of the sea, by the Greek terms for “earth-shaker” or “earth-enfolder”. From Homer’s writings scholars believe that Homer viewed earthquakes as the work of Poseidon, who ruled the waters surrounding the flat disk that was the world. Earthquakes occurred when Poseidon chose to disturb the water surrounding the disk (Liner 1997).
The belief that disasters such as earthquakes have supernatural causes would have a major effect on planning for such events. Without an understanding of the scientific causes of earthquakes, communities would not know to avoid settling in earthquake-prone areas such as fault lines, nor would they build their buildings with extra precautions to withstand such events. Their program of disaster management may only involve trying to please the gods responsible for them in an effort to prevent them from occurring in the first place.
By the time of
The Four Fundamental Theories of Disasters
Over the course of human history mankind has viewed natural disasters with a wide range of theories as to their causes and meanings. As we have come to learn more about our world through science and observation, we have changed our perspective as well as our methods for coping with and avoiding disasters. Over time, researchers have identified four fundamental theories of disasters that humans have held, or still hold. These theories can be labeled; Acts of God, Acts of Nature, the Joint effects of Nature and Society, and Social Constructions (Perry, Prater & Lindell, 2006). The significance of these varying and evolving theories is that the perception of how and why disasters take place has a profound effect on a community’s strategy for dealing with them.
The first theory of disasters to emerge was the theory that they were an “Act of God”, the whims of a higher supernatural power over which mankind had no control. The ancient Greek philosopher Homer (c. 900 BC) consistently refers to Poseidon, the god of the sea, by the Greek terms for “earth-shaker” or “earth-enfolder”. From Homer’s writings scholars believe that Homer viewed earthquakes as the work of Poseidon, who ruled the waters surrounding the flat disk that was the world. Earthquakes occurred when Poseidon chose to disturb the water surrounding the disk (Liner 1997).
The belief that disasters such as earthquakes have supernatural causes would have a major effect on planning for such events. Without an understanding of the scientific causes of earthquakes, communities would not know to avoid settling in earthquake-prone areas such as fault lines, nor would they build their buildings with extra precautions to withstand such events. Their program of disaster management may only involve trying to please the gods responsible for them in an effort to prevent them from occurring in the first place.
By the time of
References: Klaus, J. (2005, September 7). Don 't rebuild big easy: The New Orleans flood is not a natural disaster - it is a social, political, human and engineering disaster. The Montreal Gazette. Retrieved from http://www.lexisnexis.com.ezproxy2.apus.edu/hottopics/lnacademic/?verb=sr&csi=8422&sr=lni(4H26-N2P0-TWD3-Y2Y3) Liner, C. L. (1997). Greek seismology. Retrieved from http://samizdat.mines.edu/liner/earthquake.pdf Perry, R. W., Prater, C. S., & Lindell, M. K. (2006). Fundamentals of emergency management. Retrieved from http://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/edu/fem.asp