Cognitive Geography. Space Reflected in the Mind

Modern science has already reached such a high level that technological solutions in practice expand the limits of the capabilities of human intelligence and move forward in the creation of artificial intelligence (AI). The topic of automated decision-making in navigation is constantly being included in global research and is funded by several state and commercial institutions. Investigating the ability of the brain to orient spatially is very important because, in the future, AI will require not only the usage of typical template solutions for orientation, but also the ability to handle fuzzy spatial information. Hidden geographic objects can be defined as those objects that are not explicitly recognized, but at the same time, they are perceived as sensory stimuli and actively processed and integrated into the brain. Based on only part of an incomplete object, the brain itself is able to think of its continuation, and this helps in finding the way and in remembering the way. However, people increasingly cognize and represent the Earth through devices, while humanity is losing the innate ability to perceive the environment, which is present in the animal world. Animals have a multicomponent sensory contact with natural elements, they form their own mental maps based on orientation by the Sun, by stars, by the surrounding landscape, i.e. by the same natural landmarks that people followed in ancient times. Even the ancient Mayans and Aztecs were more able to perceive spatial knowledge on different scales than many modern users of new electronic devices. Presently it is important to understand how the mind perceives, draws and creates a picture of the surrounding space in memory. Using cognitive descriptions in geography, it will be possible to integrate algorithms of innate spatial perception with numerous technological applications, expanding the use of AI for complex spatial tasks.