Abstract
The paper presents and discusses empirical results from my ph.d.
study concerning environmental ethics as a concept of practice.
The theoretical approach to the study of environmental ethics is
not purely philosophical. It questions what guides professionals
in action with nature (farmers, agronomists, engineers and the
alike) when deciding which solution is preferable regarding
sustainability.The empirical work examines the explicit as well as
the implicit expressed views of nature, ethical stands, learning
processes, knowledge sources and identity with a number of Danish
organic farmers. These findings are related to the actual manuring
strategies, diversity in crops and products and ways of treating
the herd at the same farms. The empirical study is
methodologically based on qualitative methods inspired by
phenomenology, ethnography and narrativity.The outcome is four
distinct groups of organic farmers, which does not differ much
from other surveys, but are much more detailed as regards view of
nature and the relation to action. The results will be presented
as casestories.Two general conclusions can be drawn from the
study: The first regards the process of conversion to organic
farming. The concrete level of sustainability can not be ensured
only by means of factual rules (quantitative rules). The
conceptualizing by farmers of nature is an independent parameter.
Underestimated as it is, this parameter is not addressed in the
process of conversion. The second conclusion regards the expanding
research in organic farming: The organic farming in practice
represents a variety of views of nature. So does scientific work,
but especially the natural scientifical and agrotechnical sciences
has no tradition for reflecting that kind of matters. If the
scientific approaches do not try to make their stands explicit for
discussion and disagreement it might mean that qualities embedded
in the organic farming are not acknowledged, approved and
developed.
Original language | English |
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Title of host publication | Down to earth - and further afield |
Publication date | 1996 |
Pages | 222-227 |
Publication status | Published - 1996 |
Event | Down to earth - and further afield - Copebhagen Duration: 1 Jan 1996 → … |
Conference
Conference | Down to earth - and further afield |
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City | Copebhagen |
Period | 01/01/1996 → … |