The concept of "determinism" has a Latin origin: "determinatio" means "conditioning", "definition". Using this word, as a rule, they mean the ability of some to determine others. So, for example, the axioms present in logical theory determine the deduced theorems. Or, for example, causes are capable of determining the consequences that come from them. From this point of view, there is a close connection between conditioning and various justifications. There are different types of determinism: hard, probabilistic, definitive and others.
Many thinkers in one form or another raised the question of the influence of environmental factors on the course of life in society. In this case, determinism in philosophy developed in the context of the transition of socio-philosophical thought from comparing nature and society in a global sense to studying the effects of specific environmental factors (relief, natural resources, climate, etc.) on certain phenomena and processes in society (political structure, productivity forces, population growth, etc.).
Reflecting on the significance of environmental factors, thinkers came to two logical extremes. One of them is mechanical geographical determinism. According to him, all human activities are determined only by their natural environment. The second extreme is absolutely cultural determinism. In this case, it was emphasized that the perception of the environment as such, as well as its significance for society, is determined exclusively by culture. Thus, the explanation of human activity should be only culturological. However, this did not take into account the fact that cultural opportunities also depend on natural conditions.
Geographical determinism has been widely recognized since the beginning of the second half of the 19th century. The prototype of the theory was the Darwinian doctrine of natural selection. Geographical determinism in that era was quite clearly substantiated from the point of view of natural science. One of the positive aspects of the development of the theory at that time was the attention to human ecology and the distribution of the population in the territory. In this, some authors see the beginnings of modern science - social ecology.
Geographical determinism was widespread and popularized thanks to the theory of Mechnikov. The Russian thinker, when setting out the main postulates of his historiosophical concept, turned mainly to the analysis of the question of human freedom, since it was he who, in his opinion, determines the nature of human civilization.
Many of the thoughts expressed by Mechnikov are in tune with the ideas of Marx. The latter believed that the birthplace of capital was moderate, not the tropical zone, and the natural division of labor is based on the differentiation of the soil and the diversity of natural products, and not on the absolute fertility of the land. Along with this, Marx believed that environmental conditions are only an opportunity to ensure the production of a surplus product, and do not create it by themselves. Thus, according to the concept of Marx, natural conditions were associated with material production, and the influence of these conditions on human activities was considered through the prism of the production process.
Returning to the historiosophical theory of Mechnikov, it should be noted that the thinker considered the great rivers to be the main factor that determined the very origin and subsequent development of civilization. The thinker wrote that different cultures had strong differences due to isolation from each other.
Carrying out a comparative analysis of the culture of the Ancient East and West, Mechnikov came to the conclusion that the West surpasses the East in all respects. This, according to the thinker, was due to the geographical advantages of the western territories.