Geography as a discipline was subjected to the dualism of:
(A) Physical Vs Human
(B) Idiographic Vs Nomothetic
(C) Regional Vs Systematic
(D) Historical Vs Geographical
Choose the correct answer from the options given below :
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → (A), (B), (C) Only
Dualism means a debate between two opposite views on how geography should be studied.
(A) Physical Vs Human — True. Geography debated the dichotomy between physical and human. This split is not a very valid one, because nature and human are inseparable.
(B) Idiographic Vs Nomothetic — True. The debate was whether geography should be law making/theorising (nomothetic) or descriptive (idiographic).
(C) Regional Vs Systematic — True. Another debate was whether the approach of study should be regional or systematic.
(D) Historical Vs Geographical — False. The real pair is whether geographical phenomena be interpreted theoretically or through the historic-institutional approach. “Historical vs Geographical” is not one of the dualisms.
NCERT (2026-27): “You are already aware of the fact that the core concern of geography as a discipline is to understand the earth as home of human beings and to study all those elements which have sustained them. Thus, emphasis is on study of nature and human beings. You will realise that geography got subjected to dualism and the wide-ranging debates started whether geography as a discipline should be a law making/theorising (nomothetic) or descriptive (idiographic). Whether its subject matter should be organised and approach of the study should be regional or systematic? Whether geographical phenomena be interpreted theoretically or through historic-institutional approach? These have been issues for intellectual exercise but finally you will appreciate that the dichotomy between physical and human is not a very valid one because nature and human are inseparable elements and should be seen holistically.” |