Abstract
Critics have challenged agricultural scientists to address concerns for environmental quality, farm size and structure, international justice, and the health and welfare of consumers and farm labor in research planning. The goal of this research was to determine what is and what could be done to consider value-laden knowledge relevant to these concerns in research planning. Descriptions of a state agricultural experiment station and of a hierarchy of inquiry that included applied systems analysis and reductionist approaches to science revealed the goal-seeking and expert-centered nature of agricultural research. Value-laden and value-free knowledge of agricultural scientists and administrators were heavily represented in broad research goals such as increased productivity and efficiency. In addition, these goals were not evaluated at the levels of inquiry typically practiced by agricultural scientists. A soft systems methodology provided a more holistic level of inquiry that could facilitate consideration of value-laden and value-free knowledge of world views more diverse than those of agricultural scientists and administrators. Scientists could function as co-learners with other participants to identify issues and to conceptualize systems that are relevant to improving research planning. Moreover, researching the practice of soft systems offers opportunities for exploring systems ideas and holistic value theory in relation to agricultural research.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bawden, R. J., R. D. Macadam, R. J. Packham, and I. Valentine. “Systems Thinking and Practices in the Education of Agriculturalists.”Agricultural Systems 13 (1984): 205–225.
Bender, D. A., G. L. Curry, and S. Chung. “Optimization of Sorghum-Methane conversion Systems.”Fifth Annual Solar and Biomass Energy Workshop. April 23–25 (1985).
Bender, D. A., R. M. Peart, D. H. Doster, J. R. Barrett, and M. O. Bagby. “Energy Crop Evaluation by Linear Programming.”Energy in Agriculture 3 (1984): 199–210.
Bradshaw, D. E., and D. J. Marquart. “New Age Professionals for a New Agricultural Age.”Agrichem. Age (May 1990): 24–25.
Burkhardt, Jeffrey. “Biotechnology, Ethics, and the Structure of Agriculture.”Agriculture and Human Values (Summer, 1988): 53–60.
Busch, L., and W. B. Lacy.Science, Agriculture, and the Politics of Research, Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1983.
Buzan, Tony.Use Both Sides of Your Brain, New York: E. P. Dutton, Inc., 1983.
Campbell, J. L.Collapse of an Industry, Ithaca: Cornell Univ. Press, 1988.
Cardwell, V. B. “Balancing Moral Imperatives through Rural Development.” In P. B. Thompson and B. A. Stout (eds)Beyond the Large Farm. Ethics and Research Goals for Agriculture, Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1991.
Checkland, P. B.Systems Thinking, Systems Practice. Chichester: John Wiley, 1981.
Heichel, G. H. 1990. “Communicating the Agricultural Research Agenda: Implications for Policy.”Journal of Production Agriculture 3 (1990): 20–24.
Hiler, E. A. “Ethanol Production in Small to Medium-size Facilities.”Final Report to Texas Energy and Natural Resources Advisory Council, Austin, TX, (April, 1982).
Hiler, E. A. “Sorghums for Methane Production.”Annual Report to Gas Research Institute, Chicago, IL, (March, 1986).
Hollander, R. D. “Values and Making Decisions about Agricultural Research.”Agriculture and Human Values (Summer, 1986): 33–40.
Johnson, G. L. “Ethical Dilemmas Posed by Recent and Prospective Developments with Respect to Agricultural Research.Agriculture and Human Values (Summer-Fall, 1990): 23–35.
Johnson, G. L., and J. L. Brown. “Literature and Philosophic Ideas Underlying Model Validation and Verification.” InAn Evaluation of the Normative and Prescriptive Content of the Department of Energy Mid-Term Energy Forecasting System (MEFS) and the Texas National Energy Modeling Project (TNEMP), Austin, TX: Energy and National Resources Advisory Council, 1980.
Kolb, D. A., I. M. Rubin, and J. M. McIntyre.Organizational Psychology: An Experiential Approach, Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1979.
Lacewell, R. D., P. W. Teague, and S. M. Masud. “Economic and Financial Feasibility of High Energy Sorghum.” In E. A. Hiler (ed)Sorghums for Methane Production. (March, 1986) 7.1–7.25.
Mehner, M. L., D. A. Bender, and G. L. Curry. “Simulation/Optimization of Sorghum-methane Production Systems.” American Society of Agricultural Engineers, St. Joseph, MI.Paper No. 88-7507. 1988.
Miller, Alan. “Psychosocial origins of conflict over pest control strategies.Agric. Ecosystems Environ. 12 (1985): 235–251.
Morone, J. G., and E. J. Woodhouse.The Demise of Nuclear Energy, New Haven: Yale Univ. Press, 1989.
Naughton, John.Soft Systems Analysis: An Introductory Guide. Block IV, Wiltshire, U.K.: The Open University Press, Eyre and Spottiswoode Ltd., 1984.
Pearson, C. J. and R. L. Ison.Agronomy of Grassland Systems, New York: Cambridge University Press, 1987.
Polanyi, M.Personal Knowledge: Towards a Post-Critical Philosophy, New York: Harper and Row, 1962.
Rachels, J.The Elements of Moral Philosophy, Philadelphia: Temple University Press. 1986.
Rokeach, M.The Nature of Human Values, New York: The Free Press, 1973.
Runge, E. C. A., J. B. Penson, Steve Murdock, D. I. Padberg, and B. A. Stout. “Demand Enhancement as a Sink for Excess Crop Production.”J. Prod. Agric., 3(2): 141–147. 1990.
Ruttan, V. W. “Moral Responsibility in Agricultural Research.” In P. B. Thompson and B.A. Stout (eds)Beyond the Large Farm. Ethics and Research Goals for Agriculture, Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1991.
Shepard, P. T. “Moral Conflict in Agriculture: Conquest or Moral Coevolution?”Agriculture and Human Values (Fall, 1984): 17–25.
Thompson, P. B. “Ethical Dilemmas in Agriculture: The Need for Recognition and Resolution.”Agriculture and Human Values (Fall, 1988): 4–15.
Thompson, P. B. and B. A. Stout.Beyond the Large Farm. Ethics and Research Goals for Agriculture, Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1991.
Vietor, D. M. and H. T. Cralle. “Comparison: Stage 5 of the Soft Systems Approach.” In K. Wilson and G. Morren.Systems Approaches for Improvement in Agriculture and Resource Management, New York: MacMillan Publishing Co., 1990.
Vietor, D. M., H. T. Cralle, and F. R. Miller. “Partitioning of14C-Photosynthate and Biomass in Relation to Senescence Characteristics of Sorghum.”Crop Sci. 29(4): 1049–1053. 1989.
Vietor, D. M., F. R. Miller, and H. T. Cralle. “Nonstructural Carbohydrates in Axillary Branches and Main Stem of Senescent and Nonsenescent Sorghum Types.”Crop Sci. 30(1): 97–100. 1990.
Wilson, Brian.Systems: Concepts, Methodologies, and Applications, New York: John Wiley & Sons, 1984.
Wilson, Kathleen, and G. E. B. Morren, Jr.Systems Approaches for Improvement in Agriculture and Resource Management, New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1990.
Additional information
Donald M. Vietor is a crop physiologist in the Soil and Crop Sciences Department of Texas A&M University. He was a member of the Systems Task Force of the National Agriculture and National Resources Curriculum Project from 1982 to 1986 and a contributor to the recent book,Systems Approaches for Improvement in Agriculture and Resource Management. He is currently participating in a research project, “Ethics in Agriculture: Holistic and Experiential Approaches,” under sponsorship of the U.S.D.A. Office of Higher Education.
Harry T. Cralle is an award-winning teacher and crop physiologist in the Soil and Crop Sciences Department of Texas A&M University. He completed a Ph. D. degree in Agronomy after a B. A. and graduate studies in Philosophy. He has written resource materials for secondary educators and college-level textbooks that present agronomy from scientific and sociocultural perspectives at levels of inquiry ranging from biotechnology to world hunger.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Vietor, D.M., Cralle, H.T. Value-laden knowledge and holistic thinking in agricultural research. Agric Hum Values 9, 44–57 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02217920
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02217920