Q. Critically Examine the concept of Dualism with special reference to Physical Geography versus Human Geography.
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 gengraphy, an obscure and vague dualism can be found in the writings of the Greek, Roman and Arab geographers. Dualistic thinking became more conspicuous during the post renaissance period in Europe. Since then geography seems to have been visible into a number of mutually exclusive branches. These dichotomies or branching of the subject look quite logical. Geography is an integrative science and hence there is a debate over which branch and which methodology should be given central facus in geography.
In the words of P.E James, acceptance of many dichotomies, is a semantic trap. The dualism of topical versus, regional, physical versus human, determinism versus possibilism, ideographic versus monothetic, formal sites versus ‘functional locations are not mutually contradictory, such as good and evil. All these dichotomies and dualism have done particular damage to geographical thinking. These dualisms have projected the various approaches in geography as being contradictory to each other which, in reality, are complementary or a subordinate part of the other.
Some of the most prominent of the dualisms are the following
(1) Physical Geography versus Human Geography.
(2) General Geography versus Regional Geography.
(3) Determinist Geography versus Possibilists Geography
(4) Historical Geography versus Contemporary Geography
Physical versus Human Geography:
As regards dichotomy of physical geography versus human geography, the Greeks were probably the first who started this branching of the discipline.
Hecataeus gave more weight to physical geography, while Herodotus and Strabo emphasized the human aspect. Dualism of physical versus human geography is still a characteristic of the discipline. Some writers have regarded it as essential for the justification of the role of geography, while others have argued for it as also for a division of the subject into physical and human geography on the ground that the respective methodologies of physical and human geography must be different. In studies of natural phenomena including climatology, meteorology, oceanography, geology and geomorphology, it is possible to use the methods of natural sciences and to draw conclusions with a large number of scientific precision.
The methods of natural sciences are not so much suited to the study of social and cultural phenomena. Our generalization about human groups must be limited in time and space, and it must be in the nature of probabilities rather than certainties. In the initial stage of the development of the geography, major emphasis was placed on the physical geography because of the fact that this discipline was taught by teacher, who had geology background. Verenius was one of the first scholars to suggest essential differences between physical and human geography. Kant, Humboldt, Reclus, M. Somerville, A. Penck, Koppen, W.M. Davis, Mill, Jafferson and Dokuchaive were mainly interested in the physical geography. On the other hand, Carl Ritter was more inclined towards human geography. Ritter and Ratzel were among the first who considered man as an agent who brings change in the landscape. Febvre placed emphasis on the fact that human beings are an element of the landscape, a modifying agent of the environment which humanizes it.
It was Vidal de La Blache who founded the vschool of human geography. According to Vidal, it is unreasonable to draw boundaries between and cultural phenomena; they should be regarded as united and inseparable. He realized the futility of setting man’s natural surroundings in opposition to his social milieu and of regarding one dominating the other. J. Brunches developed the principles of activity and interconnection while delineating conceptual framework of human geography.
The basic philosophy of the followers of human geography was to establish a man-naTure mutual relationship in which each of the two is dependent on the other.
All geographical studies are aimed at developing an understanding of the earth surface and its physical and social phenomena both as spatially varying entities unique in their own way as well as components in a mutually inter
acting system. The methodology adopted may differ widely from field to field, so much as to make the very unity of the field rather doubtful.
Above discussion reveals that the dualism of physical versus human geography is artificial and illogical. This dualism has arisen in the course of historical development of the discipline. In fact, geography does not fall into two groups, i.e. physical and human, these two are just the two extremes of a continuum. In fact, it has been realized that we could not possibly explain human choices and actions solely in terms of relationship with the natural environment. For the development of geography as a discipline, the rift between physical and human geography must be closed.