Definitions of geography

Definitions of scholars of geography

1. Concept of GEOGRAPHY IFFAT ARA Lecturer Dept. of Geomatics PSTU

2. What is Geography? Geography is that supreme science which shows the earth in a glimpse! -Ptolemy

3. What is Geography? Geography has been called the “WORLD DISCIPLINE” and the bridge between the “Human and Physical Science” “Geography is the original science”- Carl Ritter

4. Etymology Eratosthenes firs used the word Geography in combination of two Greek words: “Geo” means Earth & “ Graphia ” means Description

5. Definitions: Before 18 th Century Geography demonstrates the living beings of earth surface and aquatic world along the explanation of the world characteristics. – Strabo Varenius (1622): Geography is that part of mixed mathematics, which explains the state of the earth and of its parts, depending on quantity, viz. its figure, place, magnitude & motion, with the celestial appearance, etc. Immanuel Kant (1724): Geography is the study of the earth. It explains the varieties found in the various parts of the earth. In it (Geography) incidents and active relations are considered specially important.

6. Definitions: 19 th Century Alexander Von Humboldt Geography is the science related to nature… in it are studied and described all things found on earth. Carl Ritter Geography is the department of science that deals with the globe in all its features, phenomena, and relations as an independent unit, and shows the connection of this unified whole with man and man’s creator.

7. New Definitions: Hartshorne vs. Schaefer Hartshorne (1939) Geography is concerned to provide accurate, orderly, and rational description and interpretation of the variable character of the Earth’s surface. Schaefer (1950) Geography has to be conceived as the science concerned with the formulation of the laws governing the spatial distribution of certain features on the surface of the earth. What is the main difference?

8. Other Modern Definitions Ackerman (1965): The study of spatial distributions and space relations on the earth’s surface Taffee (1970): Geography is the study of spatial organization expressed as patterns and processes. Woolridge & East (1950): Geography concerns land & man.

9. Other Modern Definitions Peter Haggett (1972): Geography is the science which examines the structure and the mutual interaction of ecological systems and spatial systems of the earth surface. Smith (1977): Geography offers a broad synoptic view of spatial relationship in human affairs.

10. Orthodox Definitions Vidal de la Blache (1950): Geography is the science of places not of men. Sauer & Leighly (1932): Geography has never been the science of man, but the science of the “LAND”, of the earth’s surface. Monkhouse (1965): Geography comprises the study of the earth’s surface in it’s areal differentiation as the home of man Jan Broek (1965): Geography is the orderly knowledge of the diversity of the earth as the world of man.

11. Marxist Definition Peet (1977): Marxist geography is that part of a whole science which deals with the interrelationship between social processes on the one hand and the spatial processes on the other hand

12. Lastly in a nutshell we can say…. Geography is the study of natural and human constructed phenomena relative to a special dimension.

13. Thank You All !