Some Educational Suggestions from the Ecological Thoughts of Banzan Kumazawa and Shoeki Ando for Science Education in Japan

Abstract

The author studied the thoughts of Banzan Kumazawa (1619 - 1691, Japanese) who was a scholar and a practical manager of Bizen Ikeda Han (present Okayama Prefecture) and the thoughts of Shoeki Ando (1701 - 1762, Japanese) who was a doctor at Nanbu Han (present Aomori Prefecture). They both established unique theories about man and nature. The author intended to introduce their thoughts into science education because their thoughts and theories about forest and soil were very rational to instructive, plain and beneficial today’s science education. Their thoughts have biosocial and bioethical characteristics, so the author thinks their thoughts are to be studied as original ideas, about “value education” in science education. They established their theories on the basis of deep understanding of Japanese climate and ecosystem. Especially Banzan’s theory about forest conservation is correct and worth studying throughout hundreds years. But, since Meiji Restoration their thoughts have been neglected in the school textbooks. The author regrets these facts, and thinks that we must respect their thoughts and reflect them on todays science education. So he made some propositions.