Geographic Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI): A Philosophical Study of its Role in the Development of Geographical Knowledge
Abstract
This research highlights the role of Geographic Artificial Intelligence (GeoAI) in the development of geographical knowledge from a philosophical perspective, focusing on how it reshapes spatial analysis methodologies and comparing them to traditional approaches. The study examines the differences between conventional geographic analysis, which relies on explanatory models, and AI-driven analysis, which extracts patterns from big data. Additionally, the research addresses the philosophical and ethical challenges associated with the use of AI in geographic research, particularly concerning issues of transparency, result interpretation, and scientific accountability.
Furthermore, the study explores the relationship between GeoAI and Immanuel Kant’s theory of knowledge, analyzing the extent to which AI aligns with the concepts of a priori and a posteriori knowledge. It discusses how GeoAI can extract spatial patterns without requiring a predefined theoretical framework, in contrast to traditional geographic methodologies that rely on hypothesis-driven reasoning and causal explanations. The research also examines the extent to which AI can provide reliable geographical knowledge, questioning whether it is merely a predictive tool or if it can be considered a means of generating new geographical insights.
The study aims to offer a critical perspective on the limitations and capabilities of GeoAI, questioning its role in enhancing or replacing human geographic intelligence. It also raises questions about how AI-based analysis can be integrated with traditional geographic thinking to achieve a deeper understanding of spatial patterns and relationships while considering philosophical and ethical dimensions. Ultimately, the research advocates for the development of sustainable research methodologies in geography that balance AI’s analytical power with human cognitive reasoning.
References
2. Evans, Richard, The Apperception Engine. In Hyeongjoo Kim & Dieter Schönecker, Kant and Artificial Intelligence. De Gruyter,2022. https://philarchive.org/rec/EVATA
3. Hu, Yingjie. et al. ‘A five-year milestone: reflections on advances and limitations in GeoAI research’, Annals of GIS, Volume 30, Issue (1),2024.
4. Janiak, Andrew, Kant’s Views on Space and Time, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Summer 2022 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.). https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/sum2022/entries/kant-spacetime
5. Jongwoo Seo, Unexplainability of Artificial Intelligence Judgments in Kant’s Perspective, arXiv:2407.18950v2 [cs.AI] 8 Sep 2024. https://arxiv.org/pdf/2407.18950v2
6. Krzysztof Janowicz, Philosophical Foundations of GeoAI: Exploring Sustainability, Diversity, and Bias in GeoAI and Spatial Data Science. https://doi.org/10.48550/arXiv.2304.06508
7. Krzysztof Janowicz. et al. GeoAI: Spatially Explicit Artificial Intelligence Techniques for Geographic Knowledge Discovery and Beyond, International Journal of Geographical Information Science, Volume 34, Issue 4,2020.
8. Levi John, Richard Harris، Alison Heppenstall, A Research Agenda for Spatial Analysis, Wolf, Edward Elgar, UK,2024.
9. Roberto Pierdicca , Marina Paolanti, GeoAI: a review of artificial intelligence approaches for the interpretation of complex geomatics data, Geoscientific Instrumentation, Methods and Data Systems, Volume 11, issue 1,2022.
10. Tobias Schlicht, Minds, Brains, and Deep Learning: The Development of Cognitive Science Through the Lens of Kant’s Approach to Cognition, Kant and Artificial Intelligence,EDT. Hyeongjoo Kim and Dieter Schönecker, Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin,2022.
11. Wenwen Li.et.al, GeoAI for Science and the Science of GeoAI, JOURNAL OF SPATIAL INFORMATION SCIENCE, Number 29 ,2024.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
1. The Authors submitting a manuscript do so on the understanding that if accepted for publication, copyright of the article shall be assigned to Al-Qadisiyah Journal For Humanities scinces (QJHS), University of Al-Qadisiyah as publisher of the journal.
2. Copyright encompasses exclusive rights to reproduce and deliver the article in all form and media, including reprints, photographs, microfilms and any other similar reproductions, as well as translations. The reproduction of any part of this journal, its storage in databases and its transmission by any form or media, such as electronic, electrostatic and mechanical copies, photocopies, recordings, magnetic media, etc. , will be allowed only with a written permission from Al-Qadisiyah Journal of Humanities scinces (QJHS), University of Al-Qadisiyah.
3. Al-Qadisiyah Journal of Humanities scinces (QJHS) , University of Al-Qadisiyah, the Editors and the Advisory International Editorial Board make every effort to ensure that no wrong or misleading data, opinions or statements be published in the journal. In any way, the contents of the articles and advertisements published in the journal Al-Qadisiyah Journal of Humanities scinces (QJHS), University of Al-Qadisiyah are sole and exclusive responsibility of their respective authors and advertisers.
