Erfahrungswissenschaft und Expertenblick -Eine Forschungsmethode inspiriert von der biologisch-dynamischen Landwirtschaft

Summary

Experiential science is based on the unique knowledge gathered by experienced practitioners. Both the reflective evaluation of case studies and expert judgement processes and the use of pattern recognition are core elements of experiential scien-tific methodology. Development of experiential knowledge and insights are thus pri-marily based on experts’ actions and the reflections on those actions. The methodol-ogy has been created based on intensive cooperation between single farmers or farmer groups and scientists/advisors. Experiential knowledge is not only holistic, but also adequate. As in formal science, experienced practitioners develop valid knowl-edge and in new, unknown situations they have a capability to integrate their diagno-sis (“knowing what”) and suitable actions, necessary at a specific time (“knowing that”).