A philosophical notion that seems particularly useful for geographical reasoning. Lalande goes back to Aristotle for the general meaning of the term: “Est contingent tout ce qui est conçu comme pouvant être ou ne pas être à quelque égard et sous quelque réserve que ce soit [. . .] ( Si bien qu’) un événement […]
In geographical literature, the notion of determinism is used in a rather particular way, which generates such ambiguities that the problems they raise should be mentioned in the first place. The term “determinism ” is indeed often used in order to designate what may be called a “mechanist determinism by natural factors”. In its extreme […]
Fearing to attribute too much importance to the mechanistic and simplistic determinism of the physical environment, improperly linked with ‘determinism’, some geographers avoid using such expressions as ‘difficult environments’ or ‘unattractive (off-putting) environments’. Through this categorical attitude, we may be failing to note the introduction of an important factor of spatial differentiation. The use of […]
An ethnic group is a human group or type of human group, the members of which present common characteristics, these varying considerably from one author to another, but they are, generally speaking, sought among somatic characteristics, and increasingly among behaviours and cultural factors. Ethnic groups are also characterised by the fact that their size is […]
In the strict sense, the tropics refer to two latitudes 23°27′ north and south, defined in relation to a fairly stable cosmic factor, that is the inclination of the polar axis in relation to the ecliptic plane. Their names are derived from the signs of the zodiac (tropic of Cancer for the northern hemisphere, tropic […]
Water balance is assessed for a given place and a given period of time by comparing water inputs and outputs in that place and during that period. The assessment also takes into account the existing supply of stocks and future appropriation of these stocks. Water inputs are brought by precipitation. Outputs are from the combination […]