From a geographic perspective…

Environmental determinism is the belief that the environment (primarily physical factors such as landforms, location, and climate) determines the patterns of human culture and societal development.

Cultural determinism is the belief that the culture (learned human behavior passed along by communication and imitation from one generation to the next) defines how a collective society will develop.

Do you think Europe has benefited more from its location and its major physical features (environmental determinism) or it’s culture (cultural determinism); or a combination of both?