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Explanation of the nature of statements and propositions in geography with an emphasis on political geography
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Ahad Mohammadi1   , Mahmood Vasegh * 2 |
1- Faculty of Geography, university of Tehran
2- Assistant Prof., Faculty of Geography, university of Tehran |
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Abstract: (667 Views) |
Extended Abstract
Introduction
Social sciences are basically "functional" and "problem-solving" in nature, and conducted theoretical studies in this field are not their main goal but their application to social life. Geography, as a component of social, empirical and validity sciences, is also a functional science and has a problem-solving nature. Accordingly, in geography as well as political geography we are confronted with "descriptive" and "recommendation-validity" statements. Some philosophers and scholars know only descriptive statements because they are directly referred to real concepts consider them as meaningful and scientific terms and statements, and consider recommendation / validity statements as not scientific that contain valuable content and prescriptive guidelines because they are not realistic or objective and lack the characteristics of proof or falsifiability on the one hand. Clearly, according to this view if we evaluate the concept and content of geography and political geography, which is simultaneously full of descriptive and prescriptive statement, certainly we can conclude that the concept of geography and political geography is a meaningless concept. In that case, any relationship between "man and the environment" or "politics and geography" is logically unjustifiable and no knowledge would have any meaning in the name of geography and political geography. The kind of theory adopted in this regard is directly related to the scientific and non-scientific nature and structure of a discipline and is very important.
Methodology
The present research, due to its philosophical and logical nature, is classified under the theoretical and fundamental research. This research is based on a descriptive-analytical (logical) method and the topics and contents of this collection are documentary and library type.
Result and discussion
If geography and political geography claim to have the characteristics of scientific knowledge, then it is expected that the structure of its statements will be clearly referred to the chr('39')objective and real worldchr('39'). In the present paper, on the basis of "Islamic epistemology" using "logical methods" such as "Syllogistic necessity" and "Other Syllogistic necessity" as well as using "true and valid perceptions" we have clarified that a "real, external, logical, and rational" relationship was found between descriptive and essay prescriptive/ validity propositions. Accordingly, although geographical prescriptive statements are valid statements, prescriptive statements in geography and political geography are the same as rational validity statements. The origin of statements of rational validity is the external reality. These concepts are called philosophical concepts (second order philosophical concepts) that are referred to objectivity and are external in acceptance. In addition, statements that are dos and don’ts with value concepts (prescriptive / recommendation) in geography, though considered to be primarily validity statements, are all of second order philosophical concepts and not only are the source of external abstraction, but of the type of "Descriptive" statements, indicating the real relationship between "actions" and their "results." And the basic meaning of these terms is the expression of the causality relationship. So, it is possible to discuss and deliberate about them and give reasons and arguments for them. In this way, it is possible to justify the ratio and relation of descriptive and prescriptive statements to political geography and geopolitics, and the scientific nature of political geography can be easily confirmed. According to the above, it can be concluded that all legal and ethical propositions are of the same kind as philosophical concepts (rational validity) and can be evaluated and judged as true statements (objective-philosophical) and determines truth and falsehood.
Conclusion
By nature, geography and political geography can be considered scientifically validity, yet empirical, and fall into the general classification of the sciences as social, validity, and empirical. In the meantime, the validity of the social sciences, including geography, means "rational and philosophical" validity, which have an out-of-mind source i.e. reality, and are subjective to rational demonstration and reasoning, and scientific analysis because of their objective origin and interference with rationality in the emergence. In addition to descriptive statements, recommended statements in geography are not only rational (second order philosophical concepts) and true and false, but also indicate the relationship between beings and the structure of geographical statements (descriptive and prescriptive / validity) are interchangeable and clearly referred to as the "objective and real world" and, accordingly, geography and consequently political geography is considered as objective science. |
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| Keywords: Descriptive statements, prescriptive statements, rational validity, second order philosophical concepts, political geography. |
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Full-Text [PDF 960 kb]
(171 Downloads)
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Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
Special
Received: 2020/09/2 | Accepted: 2021/04/6 | Published: 2023/10/2
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