Space–time representation and analytics

TLDR

The paper examines how philosophical and methodological views of space and time shape the representation and analysis of spatiotemporal data. It aims to elaborate on the philosophical inquiries surrounding space–time dichotomies and to encourage GIScience research to explore all four representation approaches. The authors discuss four representation approaches derived from absolutism versus relationalism and realism versus idealism, illustrating examples that move beyond the dominant absolutism–realism paradigm. They argue that adopting multiple space–time perspectives yields richer insights into geographic phenomena.

Abstract

This paper discusses philosophical and methodological considerations of space–time representation and analytics. Central to our premise is that how we conceptualize space and time has profound influence on the way in which we represent and analyse spatiotemporal data. Four approaches in space–time representation are discussed based on two sets of space–time dichotomies: absolutism versus relationalism and realism versus idealism. We elaborate on the philosophical inquiries related to the dichotomies and discuss approaches taken in GIScience research. Since most GIS studies to date align well with the absolutism–realism approach to space–time representation, we discuss examples that adopt absolutism–idealism, relationalism–realism, and relationalism–idealism approaches. We argue that multiple perspectives of space and time can bring rich insights into understanding geographic phenomena. All four approaches of space–time representation and ensuing analytical methods should be broadly explored in GIScience research.