For many centuries people have been fascinated by how our species actually works and think and react to different kinds of situations. We have also come up with many useful ideas through various schools of thoughts and disciplines. And, we have also developed many methods to study not only ourselves but also the environment or the physical world in which we live in. As Homo sapiens, our own minds have come to the point where it has become so greatly conscious and aware of itself and the surrounding environment, both of the abstract and the practical or concrete realms. As a result throughout history, there have been so many theories, concepts, philosophies, ideologies and other kinds of knowledge for answering important questions of our existence we as modern humans have come up with and are using and trying to improve, along with various fields of social sciences.
One example is geography. Divided into different disciplines, geography studies the human, its environment or the natural world, and the interactions between these things. It also studies how space is created, organized, and run by humans. This is called human geography. Another thing geography deals with is physical geography. It tries to understand how nature and the physical world behaves and functions. It deals about landscapes, climate, soil, water, vegetation, etc. It helps us learn more and deal with concerns and issues related to our culture, politics, and history as people and as countries. It enables us to see the process that shapes our interactions with the physical world.
Through scientific inquiry of how human activities impact our society, we can assess all our needs and limitations on this constantly changing world. Geography is one of the sciences that deal with these issues. It allows us to comprehend our actions and therefore anticipate its consequences. It allows us to define cultural origins and distinctions thus, empower us to advance the interests that enable us to achieve our goals as people of a certain place. Examples of the kinds of geography that deals with these things are cultural geography, economic geography, political geography, development geography, and historical geography.
There is another called physical geography. It studies about the characteristics, the history, and the developmental patterns in the natural or physical world. Examining the various elements in the environment, it helps us identify and connect to our geographical nature. In addition, this branch of geography also gives us directions and more sense of purpose as species; allowing us to effectively contemplate and provide answers to our existential concerns. If we want to understand the characteristics, the development, and the evolution of our species, we must include geography on the list as one of our tools.
Reference:
- Top 10 Reasons to Study Geography
- The Reasons Why Geography is SO Important Will Surely Amaze You
- Featured Photo: wcu.edu/learn/departments-schools-colleges/cas/science-and-math/gnr/geography-minor.aspx
