Research no. 5: Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience By Yi-Fu Tuan 03/03/10

I have begun reading Space and Place: The Perspective of Experience by Yi-Fu Tuan, and it is incredible. He breaks down concepts of space -freedom, and place -security, by explaining our evolutionary progress from infant to adult. Each of our senses allow us to comprehend our environments differently, collectively creating our understanding of our surroundings over time. Tuan compares our physical abilities with those of other creatures, flexible ears on wolves allow more directional hearing, carnivore's olfactory senses create a spatially structured world letting them distinguish distance and direction while tracking prey. The book progresses into the development of an infant, explaining how their sense of space expands as their eyesight focuses. They only comprehend the permanence of objects relative to their sight of it, once something recedes from their vision it no longer exists essentially. The kicking off of a blanket equates the first sense of freedom and space. Most fascinating to me is the common terms and sayings we use everyday are examined closely in order to understand their root meanings.

All text copyright Yi-Fu Tuan