About the Book
“Explanation in Geography, ” the first book by David Harvey, is still the major text used on scientific methodology in geography. It is about the ways in which geographical understanding and knowledge can be acquired and the standards of rational argument and interference that are necessary to ensure that this process is reasonable. The author has sought to show that we can formulate criteria to judge whether or not an argument is sound, a technique properly used, or an explanation reasonable. The book also provides a series of spring-boards for future methodological analysis and some rough and ready guidelines for the conduct of empirical research in geography.
Geographers, who can obtain from reading this book only a small fraction of understanding and insight, will be benefited materially.
Contents
Philosophy, Methodology and EXPLANATION
1. Philosophy and Methodology in Geography
2. The Meaning of Explanation
THE METHODOLOGICAL BACKGROUND AND EXPLANATION IN GEOGRAPHY
3. Geography and Science: The Methodological Setting
4. Scientific Explanation: The Model of Natural Science
5. Problems of Explanation in the Social Sciences and History
6. Explanation in Geography: Some General Problems
THE ROLE OF THEORIES, LAWS AND MODELS IN EXPLANATION IN GEOGRAPHY
7. Theories
8. Hypotheses and Laws
9. Laws and Theories in Geography
10. Models
11. Models in Geography
12. Theories, Laws and Models in Geographic Explanation: A Concluding Statement
MODEL LANGUAGES FOR GEOGRAPHIC EXPLANATION
13. Mathematics: The Language of Science
14. Geometry: The Language of Spatial Form
15. Probability Theory: The Language of Chance
MODELS FOR DESCRIPTION IN GEOGRAPHY
16. Observation
17. Observation Models: Definition and Measurement
18. Classification
19. Data Collection and Representation in Geography
MODELS FOR EXPLANATION IN GEOGRAPHY
20. Cause-and-Effect Models
21. Temporal Modes of Explanation in Geography
22. Functional Explanation
23. Systems
24. Explanation in Geography: A Concluding Comment
About the Author / Editor
David Harvey is a leading theorist in the field of urban studies and “one of the most influential geographers of the later 20th century” according to “Library Journal”. His reflections on the importance of space and place (and more recently ‘nature’) have attracted considerable attention across the humanities and social sciences. Among Harvey’s highly influential books are “Social Justice and the City” (1973); “Limits to Capital” (1982); “The Urbanization of Capital” (1985); “The Condition of Postmodernity” (1989); “Justice, Nature, and the Geography of Difference” (1996); “Spaces of Hope” (2000); and “Spaces of Capital: Towards a Critical Geography” (2001).
Harvey was formerly a Professor at Johns Hopkins, a Miliband Fellow at the London School of Economics, and Halford Mackinder Professor of Geography at Oxford University. Currently, he is Graduate Center faculty member at The City University of New York.
