Toward a General Theory of Geography -(1)-

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to present a couple of methodological problems with which we are confronted when we are trying to construct the theory of geography. The paper is divided into the eleven sections.
The section 1 and 2 are brief introductions to author's view point on geography. It is enphasized that the main purpose of geography is to study the orders of tempo-spatial variations in earth surface, in other words, we are concerned with the invariant nature of variations.
The section 3 through 6 are devoted to discussion of basic methodological problems of gegraphy. Two alternative approaches—the concrete-specific versus the abstract-universal—are compared, and importance of the latter is emphasized.
In the rest of the paper, author consideres various problems with which geographers are confronted when they are trying to formulate the theory of geography.
The difference between “rule” and “regularity” are argued, and with this background, it is emphasized that geographers should find the rule under which the variations in earth-surface are regulated.