urban geography have approached the study of the city from a number of philosophical perspectives. While the significance of each for the practice of urban geography has changed over time, none of the main approaches has been abandoned completely, and research informed by all perspectives continues to be undertaken under the umbrella of the urban geography.It is important for students of urban geography to be familiar with the different philosophies of science which underlie the subject. To aid this understanding we shall structure our discussion of the changing nature of urban geography with reference to the main epistemological developments in the discipline