Geographical Thought between the Natural and Human Sciences: Towards a New Cognitive Integration

Abstract

Geographical thought constitutes a distinct field of knowledge, capable of linking the dimensions of nature, humanity, and space. However, scientific transformations since the nineteenth century have led to a clear division between physical geography, which focused on physical phenomena, and human geography, which was concerned with society and culture. This division has negatively impacted the intellectual identity of geography and weakened its ability to explain spatial phenomena. This research aims to analyze the relationship between (the natural and human sciences) within the framework of geographical thought, by tracing its historical roots, revealing the effects of the separation between its two main branches, and then discussing the most prominent intellectual attempts that have sought to reconstruct it. Integration, while presenting a contemporary vision based on the use of modern tools and technologies such as geographic information systems, environmental studies, and sustainability, concludes that geographical thought is qualified to be an integrative cognitive framework that links various scientific fields and enhances geography's ability to contribute to addressing contemporary environmental and development challenges.