Nature - autonomous learning

184 the dis/unity of geographyrealists in the two senses I identified above about all three of the principalmeanings of the term nature (as laid out in Chapter 1). Not only do theybelieve in the reality of the non-human world, they also believe it has anessential character amenable to discovery. And they are often interested inthe inherent forces – like energy fluxes – that structure and connect differentelements of the biophysical environment.On one reading, this suggests that a happy division of labour existswithin geography vis-à-vis nature. According to this view, physical geographersinvestigate the ‘true nature’ of the non-human world, while humangeographers examine the socially variable representations of, and actionsupon, those things we call natural (human and non-human). Meanwhile,environmental geographers do a bit of both, depending. On this interpretation,the discipline of geography offers us a truly comprehensiveunderstanding of nature, ranging from nature in itself to the discursive andmaterial constructions that societies impose upon it. 5 This positiveinterpretation contrasts with the one I put forward above, of a disciplinewhose knowledges of nature are divided. But this sanguine viewpoint onhow geographers carve up the study of nature is too simple.The scientificand realist credentials claimed by physical geographers should not, Icontend, be accepted at face value. In keeping with arguments presentedin Chapter 1, I suggest that they be seen as moves in a high-stakes game.In this game, many actors and institutions are vying to have their knowledgeof those things we call natural accepted (and acted upon) bysignificant sections of society.Though it may well be the case that physicalgeographers do produce reliable knowledge about the non-human worldrelatively free from bias, my interest in this chapter is in how and whythey claim to do so.In this light, it is useful to speculate about why contemporary physicalgeographers might wish their research to be seen as both scientific andrealist.The following Activity question is designed to get you thinking aboutwhat is at stake when physical geographers matter-of-factly tell students,other researchers and non-academic groups that the environmentalknowledge they produce is (or aspires to be) more or less truthful.