History and philosophy of geography: real wars, theory wars

Smith, Neil

doi:10.1177/030913259201600208

Cited by 170 publications

(85 citation statements)

References 50 publications

(33 reference statements)

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“…By now most geographers are familiar with the names that have come to work in one way or another from these perspectives, including the key works by Denis Wood (Wood and Fels, 1986;Wood 1992), Harley (1988Harley ( , 1989, Smith (1992), Goss (1995), Pickles (1995), and Curry (1997), among others.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Walter Benjamin’s Dionysian Adventures on Google Earth

Kingsbury¹,

Jones²

2009

Geoforum

110

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a b s t r a c tThis paper argues, following Friedrich Nietzsche, that recent evaluations of Google Earth uncritically privilege the product's Apollonian determinations at the expense of its Dionysian uncertainties. Specifically, when we understand Google Earth as a virtual globe composed of surveyed panoramas, sober rationalization, dystopic control, and transparent order -or, even, as a tool for participation and empowermentwe undersell its capacities as an alluring digital peep-box, an uncertain orb spangled with vertiginous paranoia, frenzied navigation, jubilatory dissolution, and intoxicating giddiness. We argue that the former interpretations not only risk foreclosing our theorizations about how Google Earth is actually used in various ways and different contexts, they also reproduce a one-dimensional and conservative reading of technology that can be traced back (at least) to the writings of Theodor Adorno. By drawing on the work of Walter Benjamin (Adorno's critic and pen pal for more than a decade) we aim to 'go beyond Apollo and Adorno' by illustrating the extent to which Apollonian order and Dionysian love makes Google Earth go round. To do this, we examine Google Earth as a ''digital peep-box" with an online collective that revels in its ''Spot the Black Helicopter" competitions; illuminated profanities; alien and giant insect invaders; naked sunbathers; and crashed transport planes in Darfur.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Walter Benjamin’s Dionysian Adventures on Google Earth

Kingsbury¹,

Jones²

2009

Geoforum

110

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…However, contrary to Deutsche, I don't see that Harvey's disregard of his own social positioning and his attempt at an aerial view mean that he is trying to assume an Archimedean standpoint, outside discourse (Smith, 1992). The metaphors of the aerial view and an attempted Archimedean view may be similar in their imagery but there is a big difference between them.…”

Section: 'Porno Flip' 2: Grand Narratives and Local Knowledgesmentioning

confidence: 88%

Postmodernist Thought in Geography: A Realist View

Sayer

1993

Antipode

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"Once upon a time a valiant fellow had the idea that men were drowned in water only because they were possessed with the idea ofgmvity. If they were to knock this notion out of their heads, say by stating it to be a superstition, a religious concept, they would be sublimely proof against any danger from water. His whole life long he fought against the illusion of gravity, of whose harmful results all statistic bought him new and manifold evidence. This valiant fellow was the type of the new revolutionary philosophers in Germany."

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“…The topic of cyber warfare's effectiveness in conjunction with traditional offensive and defensive strategic maneuvers has now come to the forefront of defense studies (see, for example, Clarke and Knake, 2010), but certain countries, China and Russia, for example, have demonstrated the capabilities and resolve to hack networks in order to engage in the theft of both commercial and military secrets (Mazanec, 2009). Geographers may therefore wish to revisit and expand upon insights put forth by Smith (1992), specifically with reference to the historical intersection of geography and technology in warfare. And those who would presume a borderless bent to this technology may wish to consider that these printers are not creating items out of thin air.…”

Section: And the Statementioning

confidence: 99%