A sustainable agriculture course delivered nationally via AG*SAT

A sustainable agriculture course was devel­ oped during 1990-1991 at Iowa State Univer­ sity to examine the development of modern agricultural practices and how they affect the social and ecological environment. Accord­ ing to the project investigators, the purpose of the course was to introduce students to the concept of systemic thinking and to humanist methods of inquiry. They also wished to help students recognize the limitations of scientific reductionism as an exclusive method of in­ quiry. Because of this general philosophical approach, they regarded this course as one that addressed contemporary agricultural issues rather than a course in agricultural scienceperse.