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    Vithaya Suharitdamrong
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    This document discusses different perspectives on systems approaches in agricultural science. It describes agriculture and science itself as systems that can be observed from different levels of reduction and involvement. The key perspectives are: 1) Agriculture can be viewed as a system without or with human actors like farmers. 2) Agricultural science can also be viewed as a system, with the scientist taking different roles from detached observer to involved actor. 3) Science works at different levels of reduction and involvement, from more detached empirical work to more normative and action-oriented research. There is always an interplay between facts and values.

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    Different kinds of systems approaches

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    This document discusses different perspectives on systems approaches in agricultural science. It describes agriculture and science itself as systems that can be observed from different levels of reduction and involvement. The key perspectives are: 1) Agriculture can be viewed as a system without or with human actors like farmers. 2) Agricultural science can also be viewed as a system, with the scientist taking different roles from detached observer to involved actor. 3) Science works at different levels of reduction and involvement, from more detached empirical work to more normative and action-oriented research. There is always an interplay between facts and values.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
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    43 views6 pages

    Different Kinds of Systems Approaches

    Uploaded by

    Vithaya Suharitdamrong
    This document discusses different perspectives on systems approaches in agricultural science. It describes agriculture and science itself as systems that can be observed from different levels of reduction and involvement. The key perspectives are: 1) Agriculture can be viewed as a system without or with human actors like farmers. 2) Agricultural science can also be viewed as a system, with the scientist taking different roles from detached observer to involved actor. 3) Science works at different levels of reduction and involvement, from more detached empirical work to more normative and action-oriented research. There is always an interplay between facts and values.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Flag for inappropriate content
    of 6

    Different kinds of

    systems approaches

    Hugo F. Alrøe
    (http://alroe.dk/hugo)
    Danish Research Centre for Organic Farming
    (http://www.darcof.dk)

    This presentation is at http://www.orgprints.org/archive/00000293

    DARCOF

    What is a systems approach?

    Two perspectives:
    1. Agriculture as a system
    – Without human actors
    – With human actors (often farmers)

    2. Agricultural science as a system

    DARCOF

    1
    Science as an observer of systems

    Scientific
    observer
    E.g. soil system,
    cropping system

    SYSTEM
    ENVIRONMENT

    DARCOF

    Observing actor systems

    Observer
    (researcher)
    Actor
    (e.g. a
    farmer)

    SYSTEM
    UMWELT /
    ENVIRONMENT

    DARCOF

    2
    Action research

    Actor 1
    (an action
    researcher)
    Actor 2
    (e.g. a farmer)

    SYSTEM UMWELT

    DARCOF

    Science as actor and observer

    Observer

    Actor

    SYSTEM
    UMWELT /
    ENVIRONMENT

    DARCOF

    3
    General laws

    More reduced
    research worlds

    es
    Ex
    nc

    pe
    cie

    rim
    ys

    en
    r
    to

    tal
    ica

    sc
    sif

    ie
    Less reduced
    as

    nc
    Cl

    e
    research worlds

    s
    Historical and Developmental
    descriptive sciences science and research

    Descriptions Detached Involved Actions and


    of the world observer actor change
    See http://www.orgprints.org/archive/00000005/
    DARCOF

    General laws

    More reduced Physics


    research worlds Physiological
    models
    Lab
    Anatomy experiments

    Classificatory Crop models


    botany Field
    Farm experiments
    typologies
    Less reduced Farm Experimental
    farming systems
    models
    research worlds Case descriptions
    On-farm research
    Socio-economic
    Historical models Action
    descriptions research

    Descriptions Detached Involved Actions and


    of the world observer actor change

    DARCOF

    4
    General laws
    Empirical
    More reduced
    research worlds aspect of science
    Physics

    ic
    Log
    Physio
    modelslogical Normative

    cie ry
    n ce
    of s Theo
    Anatom Lab
    y experim
    aspect of science
    ents

    lys pt
    Cro
    Classifi p models F

    an a o n ce
    es
    c ield

    s
    botany ato ry

    thic
    Less reduced experim

    C
    ents Visions of

    thic ur- E
    Farm
    research worlds

    tics
    typolog Farm Experim
    ies mo e the good
    dels farming syntal

    t he
    Case d stems

    se eDisco
    escripti

    s
    Aes
    Histori on s Detached
    On-farm
    descrip cal Socio-e researc
    h
    tions models conomic

    ory al
    Descriptions

    the itic
    of the world A cti on

    P ol
    researc
    Detached h
    Involved
    Involved
    Actions and change

    See http://www.orgprints.org/archive/00000005/
    DARCOF

    Conclusions

    • Science works at different levels of


    reduction and involvement
    – but values still play a role
    • There are normative and empirical
    disciplines in science
    – but there is always an interplay of facts
    and values

    DARCOF

    5
    More information
    • My workpage -- http:// www.alroe.dk/hugo
    – Alrøe and Kristensen (2002) Towards a systemic research
    methodology in agriculture
    – and other related papers
    • DARCOF -- http://www.darcof.dk

    DARCOF

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