Abstract: This work introduces the ‘non-Toblerian geographical spaces’, where anisotropic and action-at-a-distance relations are relevant. We consider that many human-built spaces have a strong tendency toward anisotropy. In today´s networked society, we are increasingly influenced by relations that act at a distance, such as connections to markets. The current generation of GIS does not handle such spaces properly. In this paper, we provide practical and theoretical evidence on the commonness of non-Toblerian spaces. We also argue that some relevant critiques on the limits of GIS made by postmodern thinkers can be addressed by adopting a generalized measure of proximity. The paper also discusses the Generalized Proximity Matrix (GPM), a tool for representing non-Toblerian spaces, focusing on its use for dynamical spatial modelling. The authors argue the GPM allows GIS to provide a flexible support for proximity measures, and thus support modelling in non-Toblerian spaces.

• Synthesis
  1. Spatial Relations are fundamental to be represeted in GIS.
     
  2. Topological spatial relations need to be described in a formal way.