[permaculture] Permaculture as science

Greg Greg at UrbanFarm.org
Thu Jan 25 11:37:08 EST 2007


All,

Interesting dilemma we find here again as I feel that everyone will 
have a different view of what permaculture is.  However when I stand 
back and look permaculture is really not man created .  Pc simply 
takes the laws of nature and the universe and applies them in a way 
that humans can understand them.

Science on the other hand is finding a way (or many) to explain how 
things happen in the universe.

My two cents worth.

Greg


>I have found that there is a very interesting relationship between
>permaculture and science (love hate comes to mind).  Scientific theories
>and data are useful is specific situations, and permaculture is strongly
>informed by theories, axioms and hypotheses that have emerged from
>scientific practice, but I would say with confidence that permaculture
>is not science, and while founded on 'colloquialized' axioms transfered
>from ecological sciences, permaculture practice leans heavily on an
>intimate, intuition based relationship to land that is not systematic,
>replicable, or even transferable.  Permaculture practice, while
>developing and redeploying some technologies, hasn't added to any
>network of scientific theory or advanced a scientifically defensible set
>of hypotheses except by borrowing and promoting work by scientists in
>agronomy.... and that is OK.  The Third Reich had some great scientists
>at work too... and science is piss poor and inefficient at working on
>some kinds of problems.
>
>Furthermore I would suggest that permaculture incorporates an ethical
>system about 'right relationship' between people and land and the limits
>of technological fixes.  Dick Cheney is focussed on 'getting the job
>done' too, he just has a different 'job' in mind.
>
>Paul Cereghino
>
>>I would also point out that permaculture is science and results
>>based and belief systems and politics are specifically omitted
>>from the sphere of permaculture. Permaculture is focused on
>>"getting the job done".
>> 
>>
>
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-- 

The Urban Farm
Growing good food
Having fun gardening
Connecting with nature


Greg Peterson
http://www.urbanfarm.org
602/565-7045



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