Is GIS a Science?

Science shouldn’t be defined by finding what is true. Conducting science is to approach the truth by chipping away at uncertainty. Although complete accuracy may not ever be achievable, I think unreproducible study does little to advance science in that manner. Regarding reproducibility and replicability, I wonder about the value of “landmark studies’’ that should not be replicated due to ethical reasons (for example, the Stanford Prison Experiment). Such studies should not be replicated, but by being the only such study, its results could be “eternalized” (I don’t think this is the case with the SPE) despite lacking any confirmation of scientific value by comparison to other studies.

My personal experiences with GIS fall into the “scientific tool” category. While I have taken GIS classes, I most often apply GIS to problems in fields such as geology, natural resources, and land use. The closest experience I have had to GIS as a science is refining a land cover classification to find the most accurate classifier. However, I still consider this using GIS as a tool to do statistical analysis–not engaging with GIS as a science.

The “universally applicable” discourse is a qualm I have with GIS and AI alike. Like AI, GIS won’t magically solve the problem you throw at it if you don’t understand the underlying concepts and methods needed to find a solution. On the other hand, the “inherently expansive and growing” discourse resonates with me, but I interpret this discourse differently than St. Martin and Wing. While the adoption of GIS and availability of GIS tools may begin to slow, I believe the applications of GIS will remain expansive because the problems that can be approached with GIS are always changing as the world changes and nuances emerge.

Here is more information about the class I’m taking: Open GIScience

References

NASEM (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine). 2019. Reproducibility and Replicability in Science. Washington, D.C.: National Academies Press. Chapter 2, pg. 21-30. DOI:10.17226/25303.

St. Martin, K., and J. Wing. 2007. The discourse and discipline of GIS. Cartographica 42 (3):235–248, pg. 239-245. DOI:10.3138/carto.42.3.235-248.

Wright, D. J., M. F. Goodchild, and J. D. Proctor. 1997. GIS: Tool or science? Demystifying the persistent ambiguity of GIS as “tool” versus “science.” Annals of the Association of American Geographers 87 (2):346–362, pg. 353-359. DOI:10.1111/0004-5608.872057.