2026

Development in Geographical Thought

Author(s): Pritilata Ojha

Abstract

Development of geographical thought was oriented to, from origination of universe to present critical reality study. It mainly covered by Pre-Greeko-Roman era to present day. Pre-Greeko-Roman era was the beginning of human being, human-civilization, and the birth place of knowledge budding of language, agriculture, fire discovery, wheel discovery. For their surviving they created navigation system, travelling, expand their culture and barter practice is a mode of communication between many civilizations, these expand geographical knowledge because that is the study of earth, and earth related things are geographic knowledge. So, observation, story writing, astronomical study, physical geography study, these are the study of earth , earth and celestial body relationship, about ocean, tide, currents is the part of ancient study . In medieval period geographical study mainly oriented three countries, such as India, China and Arabian countries. Mathematics, astronomy and physical geography is the central point of geographical study. In this era, Mainly Arabians were travelling many places mainly eastern country like India, China and harvesting knowledge from their existing mythology and contemporaneous innovation. And Arabians were accumulate these knowledge and stored in book.They are research many existing knowledge of strabo and ptolemy,independently they innovate many idea climate, geomorphology etc.Then later middle age is the time of exploration and discovery of many unknown world. In modern era many observation based geographical tools like Altimeter used by Humboldt, empirical study, then present day’s analytical scientific study, GPS system, spatial geography depend on totally scientific exploration and relativity to contemporary world. Ptolemy's map making, determination of direction, projection system and Eratosthenes measurements of earth perimeter. Thales and Anaximander's mathematical astronomical discovery like Gnomon instruments innovation which is used for time, date, solstice and equinox. Seismometer by China, invention of zero, gravitation laws etc. in Indian mythology. So the ancient era's geographical tools and instruments was the base of contemporary scientific study. These are based on recent new innovation and now a days applied geography is solving many environment related problem and create clear view for many purpose, exp-economic activities in restricted areas like mining in mountain area because many scientific analysis accumulate and create geographical study. Study areas in soil, ground water, agriculture, climate- as create artificial train, vegetation study for Ayurveda, all these are include in areal study as well as geographical level of image of this area. So geographical study now a days is more relevance than other subject.Mother Earth is the habitat place for all organism, so we are all responsible for protection of our earth. So, when our inquisitiveness is any earth related issues then our thinking answer these issues and more flourished our earth science as geography.