Vol. 64 No. 5 (2009)
Articles

Silviculture between Philosophy and Science

Orazio Ciancio
Accademia Italiana di Scienze Forestali

Published 2013-04-22

Keywords

  • classical silviculture,
  • systemic silviculture,
  • complexity,
  • objectification

Abstract

Silviculture has been significantly revised over the past few decades. This has led to a change in the forest-man relationship, and made a deep crack in the traditional conceptions which consider the forest only as trees. This paper takes a look at different silvicultural theories with specific emphasis on their philosophical and ethical implications. By analyzing some important scientific currents of thought – the Newtonian concept, Neo-positivism or logical empiricism as it is also known – and the complexity of living systems, the author sheds light on the theories at the basis of classical and systemic silviculture and on how the new approach will impact man’s relationship with the forest.