1. Do you consider history to be a humanistic discipline? A social science? 2. What cultural baggage does Cronon describe for the concept of wilderness? Why does it matter? 3. What difference does it make for the public and policy makers and scientists to know the historical origins of the term "wilderness"? 4. Cronon has been vigorously, sometimes angrily, criticized for having written this article. Many wilderness preservation advocates charge him with undermining the environmental movement and giving comfort to enemies like the Wise Use Movement. What do you think of this criticism? 5. Are there other cultures which celebrate or sanctify wilderness? Do their particular histories and cultural contexts make their concepts of wild places different?