The Impact of Language on Perceptions

Alfred Korzybski developed the field of General Semantics. He felt that human biology and language create barriers to humans knowing reality. The mental constructs (mental maps) are not the real world. Hence he stated “The map is not the territory.” Korzybski felt that language, science and mathematics can provide people with a structural map (or mental map) of empirical facts. He stated that “the map is not the territory,” as his way help people understand that the way we describe things, isn’t necessarily the reality; they are only descriptions of what we observe and how we choose to describe it. These descriptions shape our perceptions of the world around us.

Copyright 1988-2015 Gregory Lee

In geography, maps are two-dimensional graphic symbolic representations of the four-dimensionality of what we call the real world. We are not going to define reality as per General Semantics. We agree with Korzybski, the map is not the territory. For this reason S.E.E.D.S. uses the Geographic Systems Model to help guide a person’s inquiry. This gives the person a means to systematically observe and learn about their world. [Note: Geography embraces all life, physical, and social sciences simultaneously to characterize the interrelationships of phenomena on Earth.]  The Geographic Systems Model integrates the General Systems Model using general science to help organize direct observations and measurements to enable people to develop systematic descriptions of the world around them. Combined with other problem solving strategies, teachers and students are encouraged to make connections using STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics) components based on their curiosity and interest. Although the map is not the territory, the systematic collection, analysis, and display of data is a significant tool in effective problem solving.