He provides a theory called spatial determinism as an explanation for the diverse outcomes of human societies.
Determinism is sometimes viewed negatively and interpreted as the belief that there is nothing we can do to change the world, so why bother? Even though it is a drawback, I believe that it is always better to learn the truth (or, more practically, the most likely scenario), even if it is something we do not want to be the case. Furthermore, if making the right decisions has little significance in the big picture, then doing the opposite is also true.
Another problem is that early advocates of spatial determinism frequently held racist views. Nobody who has read Guns, Germs, and Steel, or even just a summary, would claim that Diamond is doing the same thing. He contends that location may account for the different outcomes of societies and that race has no bearing on what people can accomplish as individuals or as communities. Thus, the work is categorically anti-racist.
It would be foolish to think that geographic location is the sole factor at play. In addition, Jared Diamond himself has recognized this. He recognizes that geography cannot fully explain the divergent outcomes of the Koreas and of Haiti and the Dominican Republic on the island of Hispaniola in a postscript chapter in the more current editions of Guns, Germs, and Steel.
Thank you,
Eddie