On the distinction between classical and nonclassical geographies: Some critical remarks

In Ontological Tools for Geographic Representation, Roberto Casati, Barry Smith, and Achille Varzi have formalized and introduced the (geo-ontological) distinction between classical and nonclassical geographies. Although that distinction makes no essential reference to maps, the authors have pointed out that the dichotomy can be useful to specify the kind of geography that is implied in the spatial representation. Thus, the aim of this paper is to showcase the main assumptions behind the distinction between classical and nonclassical geography and to present some possible issues arising from its application to cartographic representation. Accordingly, the first two sections offer a short introduction to the scopes of the ontology of geography, and to the main theoretical tools needed for advancing a (formal) theory of spatial representation. The third section shows some issues emerging from the application of the distinction between classical and nonclassical geographies to the cartographic representation, by discussing (and expanding) the list of examples provided by the three authors

What a geographical entity could be

The main task of this article is providing a sketch of possible approaches, response attempts, conundrums and issues arising from the question: 'What is a geographical entity?'. It is shown how trying to answer this question is made particularly difficult by a multiplicity of aspects that might be summarized as follows: (1) There exist multiple conceptualizations of the geographical world. (2) Different languages and cultures may slice such a world in different ways. (3) The geographical world has changed and will change over time. (4) Also geography (as a discipline) has changed and will change over time, modifying its perspective, tools, domains of investigation and aims. Consequently, what had, has been, will be considered as non-geographic could be considered as geographic and vice versa. (5) There were, are and will be different kinds of geographies as well as different geographical branches, each of them had, have and might have different tools, aims, points of view and vocabularies. (6) The introduction of new scholarly fields and new technologies, the birth of intellectual movements or paradigm shifts and developments on other disciplinary contexts can/will influence geography as a discipline