The empirical element depreciation and the bookish aspect in the development of the geographic medieval western knowledge

Abstract

The matter of this article is fundamental aspects on the construction of geographical knowledge during the Middle Ages. We approach basically two aspects, these are interconnected. On one hand, we noticed an unrestricted devaluement of empirical research, in a way protected, on the privilege given to the Creator in the detriment of the inferiority to all things created. On the other, in association to the first aspect, it was disclosed that there was a scenario in which the written word had led the way of truth, and it was made without the counterweight of empirical evidence, of inductive way. Such a fact, conducted the geographical knowledge to lose its realism and practical utility. Such characteristics found great backlash, we stress, on the production of geographical knowledge of the mentioned age, reaching browsers like Colombus. It is worth mentioning that at the end of the article, the reader will find a discussion regarding the well known Ebstorf map, which stands as an arrival point and exemplification of the premisses previously discussed.