Mapping the Understanding of Understanding Maps

Abstract

People conceive of different spaces differently, depending on the functions they serve. This chapter considers the space of the body, space surrounding the body, space of navigation, and space of external representations, such as diagrams and graphs. Representations of the space of the body allow us to know what the parts of our bodies can do, where they are, what is impinging on them, and, importantly, how to interpret the bodies of others. The space around the body is decomposed into the six regions projecting from the six surfaces of the body. The space of navigation is the space of potential travel. It serves to guide us as we walk, drive, fly about in the world. The space of external representations considered here is typically space on paper meant to represent an actual space. External visuospatial representations bear many similarities to those that reside in the mind.