The Part and the Whole : The Ontological Assumptions of Modern Geographical Thought about the Regional Geography

부분과 전체 : 근대 지역지리 방법론의 고찰

Main debates in the modern geographical thoughts had been developed around the regional geography. Because regional geography had been regarded as a raison d'etre of geography, it remains solid status in geography curriculum. But unscientific nature of regional geography was the main problem of modern geography. Modern geography has developed the logical legitimation of regional geography, instead of research procedures. We examine the logic of modern geographical thoughts from 3 worldview. Here we represented the part - the whole relationship as the primary category, and classify these into three type according to the implicit proposition about the relationship. One is the organic view, which assume that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. This view was the primary proposition held by the modem geographers. This view regarded the region as organic complex, and presume the unit region which is irreducible to the elements. The other is mechanic view, which presuppose that the whole is the sum of the parts. This view comprehend region by means of spatial order, in order to simplify the complex reality. Then we compare real condition with assumption. These two view held static assumption. Now, the third view regarded the part- the whole relationship as being dynamic. Most geographers held the organic view, although someone suggests the idea of harmony, the others suggests the idea of complex. But these view presumes the pre-industrial society in which the genre de vie was main principle of social order. Therefore It could not comprehend the regional concept in the context of the urbanization and industrialization.

근대 지리학 방법론 논쟁에서 가장 주요한 쟁점은 지역 지리학의 학문적 성격에 대한 논란이었다. 그러나 대부분의 논의는 지역 연구의 절차를 제시하기보다는 지역 지리학을 형이상학적으로 정당화하는 데 머물렀다. 본 연구에서는 이러한 견해를 비판적으로 검토하기 위하여 지역 지리학 방법론에 내재하는 전제들 가운데에서도 부분과 전체의 관계에 대한 존재론적 가정을 가장 중요한 준거로서 설정하였다. 대부분의 논의는 유기체론에 근거하여 지역을 복합적 존재로서 인식하고, 생명체와의 비유를 통해 지역의 속성을 파악해야 한다고 주장하였다. 그러나, 단위 지역이라는 전제의 한계와 더불어 단순히 요소들을 열거하는 데에 머물렀으며, 지역의 복합성을 포착하지 못하였다. 이러한 한계는 생활양식이라는 전제 위에서 출발한 데에서 오는 당연한 귀결이었다.