Geographic Space as a Set of Concrete Geographical Entities

Abstract

This paper address the need for a theory of geographic space that handles space through the concrete objects or entities that actually create and form the space. Several trends seem to show the need for such a theory, which in fact would be a subset of a general spatial theory provided that it would specify what spatial relationships are possible and in effect amongst geographical (real world) entities, and what their concrete forms are. It also would have to establish their significance or influence in the concrete geographic processes into which real world entities enter and act. The paper will attempt to contribute to the development of such theory by extending revisions of the approaches to space from physics and philosophy, geography and cognitive science; and by proposing for discussion some basis for a conceptual model of geographic space suitable for GIS and built around the concept of the geographical entity: a part of the Earth surface defined by virtue of one or several spatial and/or not spatial properties, which make it a space in itself, physically or functionally different from its surrounding and therefore able of carrying out an individual existence persistent in time and of being perceived by human beings as such individual space with particular properties and relationships.