GEOGRAPHY IN THREE WORLDS: HOW POPPER'S SYSTEM CAN HELP ELUCIDATE DICHOTOMIES AND CHANGES IN THE DISCIPLINE*

Popper's concept of Worlds 1. 2, and 3 is discussed briefly in the light of idealism and materialism and to illustrate the debate about reification and reductionism. Then six types of change in geography are classified as changes in the phenomenal environment (World 1) and in that part of the behavioral environment that constitutes World 3. These changes involve those comparisons within or between “Worlds” that identify future research problems.