Biases that Geomorphologic Researchers Face in Their Work

Geography
Name
Institution
Geography
In this article titled Geomorphology and American Dams: The Scientific, Social, And Economic Context, William Graf (2004) points out some of the biases that geomorphologic researchers face in their work. Graf notes aspects such as cultural backgrounds, the social matrix in which the research is done as well as economic factors as some of the issues that affect research. The article then traces the history of geomorphology emphasizing that this is indeed a young science. In terms of dam construction, Graf notes that in the past, the concerns of the local communities affect the dam structures and even their sizes. He however notes that this has changed over the years and today aspects such as downstream geomorphic effects define the decisions that engineers make in constructing dams. In the article Graf also notes that the perceived social effects also define why dams build in certain places end up being destroyed. After reading the article, several things come to mind. To start with, I was surprised to learn that dam building factor in aspects such as habitats for different species. The other thing that also struck me was the indication that dam installation might bring about invasive species that might be detrimental to the environment within the dam.
In this article titled Geography and the Physical Sciences Tradition, Keith Richards takes a deep look at the link between philosophy and method of the physical sciences and those of geography. The author in this article lays the claim that the scientific method on which the physical sciences are founded is in reality only a model itself. Richards notes that the balance of procedures in scientific method has transformed as knowledge and understanding develop and are also likely to change as new research emerges. The article continues to note that studying the link between geography and the physical sciences is challeng...