THE EXPANSION METHOD: IMPLICATIONS FOR GEOGRAPHIC RESEARCH*

Geographic phenomena and our models of them are closely linked to the spatial-temporal contexts in which they are observed. The expansion method is a procedure that incorporates contextual effects into mathematical models. More importantly, it is the basis for a movement by some geographers away from the classical spatial science paradigm. The evolving paradigm associated with the expansion method represents a reformulation of the way in which geographers think about and use models, and is consistent with a more realistic perspective on the nature of geographic inquiry.