Question : Distinguish between radical and welfare approaches in geographic studies.
(2004)
Answer : In the recent past geographers have adopted a number of philosophical approaches and methodologies to interpret man-nature relationship with the objective of proper development of individuals and societies. Now, the main objective of geographical teaching and research is to train students in the analysis of phenomena so that they can take subsequently up the problems of society. Welfare and radical are two such philosophical approaches in geographic studies which emerged due to growing disillusionment with ....
Question : Present a critical analysis of human and welfare approaches in Human Geography.
(2003)
Answer : After quantitative revolution, Geography, in the 1970’s and afterward underwent another revolution, and this time the revolution was anti-positivism and critical. The intent was to re-orient human geography towards a more humanistic stance, to resurrect its synthetic character, and to re-emphasize the importance of studying unique events rather than the spuriously general. Both the human and welfare approaches in Human Geography reflect this trend.
Human approach is distinguished by the central and active role it gives ....
Question : Radical Approach in Human Geography
(2001)
Answer : Radial geography appears to be an outcome of a new critical revolution in the contemporary human geography, which seemed to have occurred largely as a result of the critiques of spatial science tradition in human geography. As a holistic, revolutionary science, Marxism provides a firm theoretical base for the radical movement in geography. Marxism offers an opportunity to develop an integrated comprehension of reality as a whole. The Marxist theory renounced that the scientific laws ....
Question : Describe the sequence of major paradigm shifts in geographic thought during the twentieth century.
(1999)
Answer : The term 'Paradigm' serves as a convenient description for the dominating pattern of thought prevailing in a discipline. S.T. Kuhn - an American, in his model of 'paradigm of science' defines paradigm as ''universally' recognised scientific achievements that for a time provide model problems and solutions to a community of practitioners'. Kuhn in his postulate, advocates that the development of science consists of various phases as shown in the figure given below:
The first phase of ....
Question : What is understood by quantification in Geography? Discuss the significance of quantification in modern geographical studies with examples.
(1998)
Answer : In the past few decades, especially in the 1950s and 1960s geography underwent a radical transformation of spirit and purpose best described as the quantitative revolution. It is this quantitative revolution, also termed as quantification which brought a sudden change in the existing structure of the discipline. Before 1960s there were only descriptive studies in geography but the quantification brought mathematisation of much of our discipline with an attendant emphasis on the construction and testing ....
Question : Critically examine the concept of dualism with special reference to Physical versus Human Geography.
(1997)
Answer : In the delineation of the sphere of geography, and the methodology to be adopted for its study, there have existed and still exist significant dualism and dichotomies such as systematic versus regional geography, physical versus human geography, deterministic versus possibilities geography etc. Dualism is however, not the exclusive domain of geography, this is found in other disciplines too though in varying degrees.
During the period of prehistory of geography, an obscure and vague dualism can be ....
Question : Examine critically the concepts of determinism and possibilism. Bring out the significance of regional concept.
(1997)
Answer : Determinism and Possibilism are two major schools of thought in geographical concepts which have evolved in the course of presentation of divergent viewpoints to interpret the main focus of geography - the dynamic relationship between humans and the natural environment. Deterministic philosophy states that the environment controls the course of human action while possibilitsts' viewpoint is that people are not just pawns in the hands of natural environment.
Determinism: Deterministic thinking believes that the history, culture, ....
Question : Discuss the contribution of Al-beruni towards the development of geographical knowledge.
(1995)
Answer : Al-beruni (full name Abu Rayhan Mohammad) was one of those prodigious minds at work in the medieval world whose creative, versatile, scientific and international outlook, coupled with universality of thought, amaze the modern world.
Through his dedication and vast knowledge he achieved great scholarship in philosophy, religion, mathematics, chronology, medicine and various languages and literatures. He was more of a synthesizer than a dogmatic scholar, a keen observer of comparative studies par excellence. Al-beruni's position as ....
