Ecology and Agricultural Production
Three instructors will discuss the interactions among human beings, plants and animals, and the environment from respective points of view. First, students will learn and understand the importance of using plants/animals as therapeutic tools in order to treat patients/clients with various disabilities, such as physical dysfunctions and/or mental and behavioral disorders. Then, to understand the importance of agro-ecosystems in the global environments, various issues between agriculture and ecosystem will be discussed in line with the concept of ecosystem services. Finally, ethical problems concerning food production and circulation, scientific research, and environment will be examined from humanistic points of view.
| theme | contents | etc. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nature | An environment for health | |
| 2 | Ergonomic Gardening | Teaching safe movement patterns | |
| 3 | Animal Kindness | Best practices for the animal-assisted therapy practitioner | |
| 4 | Hippotherapy (1) | As part of an integrated treatment program | |
| 5 | Hippotherapy (2) | Achieving functional outcomes | |
| 6 | Ecosystem services: Linking people and ecosystems | According to the grouping the United Nations ’Millennium Ecosystem Assessment’ (2005), four types of ecosystem services are introduced: provisioning, regulating, supporting, and cultural. | |
| 7 | Status of agro-ecosystems in the world | Only limited areas of total land remain unaffected by agriculture-induced land use. | |
| 8 | Changing agro-ecosystems in the world | Future options of agro-ecosystems in the world. | |
| 9 | Agricultural production, environments, population and poverty | The past growth in agriculture resulted in rapid population growth. This does not necessarily mean growth in quality of living and environments. | |
| 10 | Agriculture and wetlands | Wetlands have been regarded as a barrier to agriculture, but the essential role of wetlands in support of agriculture is becoming clearer. | |
| 11 | Food Safety and Business Ethics | Centering on various cases of misrepresentation in food business | |
| 12 | Issues of Animal Welfare | Ethical consideration of the conditions of companion animals, farm animals, and experimental animals | |
| 13 | Ethical Responsibilities of Scientists | Discussion of various issues concerning scientific research | |
| 14 | Traditions of Agricultural Rituals and Environmental Ethics | The significance of traditional rituals from modern perspectives | |
| 15 | Environmental Ethics from a Zen Point of View | Monastic life as a model of ecological lifestyle |