http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/authors/2299/thomas-r-smith Inquiries Journal provides undergraduate and graduate students around the world a platform for the wide dissemination of academic work over a range of core disciplines. en-us Sat, 02 May 2026 12:22:37 -0400 Sat, 02 May 2026 12:22:37 -0400 http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/911/humanity-and-its-place-in-nature-rethinking-the-reality-of-wilderness By Thomas R. Smith - The Western concept of wilderness encompasses pristine, untrammeled land viewed as “the last remaining place where civilization…has not fully infected the earth” (Cronon, 1995, p. 69). Indeed, many Americans possess this dualistic vision that separates nature and humanity, thus leading to the creation of preservation areas that restrict human habitation. Of course, the protection of what is perceived as “pristine” and “virgin” land completely ignores the fact that humans inhabited these lands for millennia without permanently damaging them. Instead, these... Sun, 07 Sep 2014 10:42 EDT http://www.inquiriesjournal.com/articles/911/humanity-and-its-place-in-nature-rethinking-the-reality-of-wilderness