Geographic orientation, disorientation, and misorientation: a commentary on Fernandez Velasco and Casati. Issue 4 (1st October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Montello, Daniel R.
• Is Part Of: Spatial cognition and computation. Volume 20:Issue 4(2020)
• Page Start: 306
• Page End: 313
• Publication Date: 2020-10-01
• Subjects: Geographic disorientation -- geographic misorientation -- navigation -- cognition and emotion; Space perception -- Periodicals; Geographical perception -- Periodicals; Artificial intelligence -- Periodicals; 153.752
• DOI: 10.1080/13875868.2020.1767105
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1387-5868

Abstract

ABSTRACT: In this commentary on Fernandez Velasco and Casati's "Subjective Disorientation as a Metacognitive Feeling" in this journal, I take issue with their distinction between "the objective condition of being lost and the subjective condition of disorientation". Instead, I argue that being lost is geographic disorientation, and in all cases, it depends on a person's subjective awareness that they are uncertain about their location or proper course. This, in fact, provides a unified definition of geographic disorientation. In contrast, being objectively misplaced is mis orientation instead of dis orientation, and is conceptually, and often in practice, a distinct state of affairs.