ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a cultural models of Nature contains both causality among components of Nature, and dimensionality of the essence of being in the world, of being part of Nature. The cultural model suggests not only causality, but it also indicates some potential overarching dimensions of importance. The hypothesized cultural model or mental organization of knowledge relies on organizing the results into the most important approximations of Nature held in the minds of these villagers. The causal model for smallholder agriculturalists in Alambuela, this village near Cotacachi, appears to be close to the holistic model, although perhaps a slight revision of that general causal model is in order. Factories and pollution seem to be cited to some degree as part of the more global dialogue on climate change, but also based on the idea that people are disrespecting the earth, Mother Nature, and soil through pollution.
