THE FOURTH TRADITION OF GEOGRAPHY

Earth Science Tradition

History

Ancient Greece:

Aristotle - started a wide-ranging study of natural

processes in and near the surface of the

earth

Varenius - rejuvenated this study in the 17th

century as “Geographia Generalis.”

This is the tradition that has been subjected to

subdivision as the development of science has

approached the present day

yielding mineralogy, paleontology, glaciology,

meterology and other specialized fields of

learning.

1930: EST declining in the US

1950: EST weak

Physical geography is often included in

studying geography and even omitted

1960s: earth science pendulum began to

swing back

Earth Science (Physical Geography): deals

with “real” world, more scientific, exact

William D. Pattison

EARTH SCIENCE TRADITION The study of the earth as the environment and habitat of humans.

The primary concern of physical geographers,

acting within the earth science tradition, is the interplay between the encompassing physical world and the activities of humans.

The earth science tradition, embracing study of the

earth, the waters of the earth, the atmosphere

surrounding the earth and the association between

earth and sun.

The spatial tradition abstracts certain aspects of

reality;

The area studies is distinguished by a point of view;

The man-land tradition dwells upon relationships;

The earth science tradition, on the other hand, is

identifiable through concrete objects.

FIELDS:

Physical geography

The lithosphere, hydrosphere, atmosphere, and

biosphere

Earth-sun interaction

The study of the earth as the home to humans Matt Rosenberg

EARTH SCIENCE TRADITION The study of planet earth as the home of humanity

Acknowledges the human impact on the planet to an

extent not seen in most other natural sciences, but

the focus remains on the planet itself and its physical processes

Sources: Pattison, William D. (1963.) The Four Traditions of Geography. Journal of Geography, 1964, pp 211 –

216.