A Naughty World

Kennedy, Barbara A.

doi:10.2307/622214

Cited by 38 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 4 publications

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“…While the concept of closure is not new (e.g. Kennedy 1979), its implications have not been widely accepted in physical geography (Lane 2001). Indeed, while sensitivity analyses are often used in environmental modelling (Huggett 1993; Katz 1999), they typically focus on numerical parameters in mathematical models, rather than underlying model structures or choice of time–space domain, yet these problems rarely have unique or certain solutions.…”

Section: Uncertainty and Scientific Realismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowledge, uncertainty and physical geography: towards the development of methodologies for questioning belief

Brown¹

2004

Trans Inst British Geog

115

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Although it is widely acknowledged that our understanding of environmental systems cannot be reduced to single predictions and unique explanations, determinism remains a common strategy in physical geography. This paper argues for explicit assessments of uncertainty in environmental data and models as a necessary, although not a sufficient, condition for balancing uncertain scientific arguments against uncertain social, ethical, moral and legal arguments in managing environmental systems. In particular, this paper aims to: (1) demonstrate the importance of assessing uncertainty within a realist research framework; (2) consider the nature of scientific uncertainty as the basis for developing methodologies that question belief; and (3) explore some important aspects of a methodology for evaluating uncertainties in environmental research.key words imperfect knowledge uncertainty critical realism closure

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Section: Uncertainty and Scientific Realismmentioning

confidence: 99%

Knowledge, uncertainty and physical geography: towards the development of methodologies for questioning belief

Brown¹

2004

Trans Inst British Geog

115

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“…A substantive literature presents critiques of the use of systems approaches in the social sciences in general (Giddens, 1979;Lilienfeld, 1978), and more specifically in geography (Gregory, 1980;Kennedy, 1979;Kull & Rangan, 2016;Watts, 2011), in ecology (for example, Taylor, 2005;Taylor, 2011), and in resilience thinking (for example, Biermann et al, 2015;Brown, 2014;Kirchhoff et al, 2010;Porter & Davoudi, 2012). A substantive literature presents critiques of the use of systems approaches in the social sciences in general (Giddens, 1979;Lilienfeld, 1978), and more specifically in geography (Gregory, 1980;Kennedy, 1979;Kull & Rangan, 2016;Watts, 2011), in ecology (for example, Taylor, 2005;Taylor, 2011), and in resilience thinking (for example, Biermann et al, 2015;Brown, 2014;Kirchhoff et al, 2010;Porter & Davoudi, 2012).…”

Section: Epistemology: Systems and Metaphorsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Using the “regime shift” concept in addressing social–ecological change

Kull

Kueffer

Richardson

et al. 2017

Geographical Research

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‘Regime shift’ has emerged as a key concept in the environmental sciences. The concept has roots in complexity science and its ecological applications, and is increasingly applied to intertwined social and ecological phenomena. Yet what exactly is a regime shift? We explore this question at three nested levels. First, we propose a broad, contingent, multi‐perspective epistemological basis for the concept, seeking to build bridges between its complexity theory origins and critiques from science studies, political ecology, and environmental history. Second, we define the concept in a way that is consistent with this epistemology, building on previous work on speed, scale, stickiness, and interrelationships, but also emphasising human perceptions and rhetorical uses of the notion. Third, we propose a novel typology of the ways in which the regime shift concept is used in analysing social–environmental phenomena in geography and beyond. These uses are categorised along two axes. On the one side, we distinguish between description of past or present changes and normative prescriptions for the future. On the other side, we distinguish between whether the focus is on material shifts (social and ecological) or conceptual shifts (discourses and ideas). We illustrate the typology with reference to social–environmental changes in landscapes around the world that are dominated by plantations or the widespread naturalisation of Australian Acacia species. We conclude that the regime shift concept is a boundary object with value as both an analytical and communicative tool in addressing social–environmental challenges.

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“…The object of interest is to become a system of symbols; the tools of the new trade are to be those of information theory and control engineering. (Kennedy , 550)…”

Section: Big Data As a New Paradigm: A Disciplinary Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite her early involvement promoting a systems approach in physical geography (Kennedy and Chorley ), Kennedy became critical of how systems analysis had been subsequently framed and pursued. She perceived an overemphasis on abstraction and mathematical formalization, noting that “our subject matter [i.e., landscape] almost inevitably has a history and that history will frequently prove very important indeed in determining future developments and non‐developments” (Kennedy , 551). The mathematical abstractions of systems theory tended to treat landscapes as if they did not have histories; they were merely mechanistic entities that could be represented and controlled through calculation.…”

Section: Big Data As a New Paradigm: A Disciplinary Perspectivementioning

confidence: 99%

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Can big data tame a “naughty” world?

Salmond

Tadaki

Dickson

2017

Canadian Geographies / Géographies canadiennes

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Key Messages The implications of the big data revolution for the environmental sciences are potentially significant and require critical interrogation. Thematic examination of big data definitions can encourage scientists to consider how big environmental data may alter environmental scientific priorities. In the environmental sciences, big data are most valuable when complementary to (and conversing with) traditional data and approaches.

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A Naughty World

Cited by 38 publications

References 4 publications

Knowledge, uncertainty and physical geography: towards the development of methodologies for questioning belief

Knowledge, uncertainty and physical geography: towards the development of methodologies for questioning belief

Using the “regime shift” concept in addressing social–ecological change

Can big data tame a “naughty” world?

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