The current debates about cultural geography fall into three categories: (1) arguments for the convergence of cultural and spatial geography; (2) arguments against current reports of the disappearance of culture as a result of increased cultural divergence; and (3) attempts at the reconstruction of culture theory to conform with generally valid rules of social science explanation. The theory of cultural geography attempts to account for the differences in human life at different places and times. Culture theory has its roots in the late 18th century when J.G. Herder took issue with the rationalist approach to human society during the Age of Enlightenment. Herder maintained that the rational method of Newtonian science with its emphasis on the formulation and testing of hypotheses was inappropriate to the study of human cultures. He believed that cultures are integrated social wholes. Although the original questions of Herder and others remain important, they have since become distorted by geographers. The conflicting theories of the relevance of culture to geography all have their shortcomings; however, the resolution is not to dismiss the complex issues but to determine an approach to culture theory that will reveal insights within the conflicts. (KC)