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Philosophy of AgricultureName:Institution:Date:Thesis StatementThe global population is rapidly rising. The increase comes with a resultant rise in the demand for food. It therefore, requires that different approaches be undertaken to address the consumption demands of the ever-growing population in an ethical and environmentally friendly manner. Studies in agriculture and agricultural practices have led to the development of a school of agricultural studies known as agricultural philosophy with two schools of thoughts. This paper provides a brief definition of the agricultural philosophy and studies the industrial and agrarian approaches to agriculture. The paper, further, looks into the difference between the two schools of thought in agriculture and analyzes the best approach that addresses the agricultural concerns.A Philosophy of AgricultureA philosophy of agriculture is a tentative discipline that critiques the philosophical frameworks used as the basis for decision making in agriculture. It is also referred to as agricultural philosophy whose views are not only used in decision making in agriculture, but also in decisions regarding land use. It involves research in agriculture as a concept of human civilization and as a means of sustaining population increase CITATION Nat101 l 1033 (National Research Council, 2010).Differences between an industrial and an agrarian philosophy of agricultureThe differences between the industrial and agrarian philosophies of agriculture can be derived from their definition. The industrial philosophy of agriculture postulates that agriculture is a sector of an industrialized country where products are produced at the cheapest cost possible using methods that provide sufficient food and fiber for the entire society CITATION Nat101 l 1033 (National Research Council, 2010).Here, the trend is towards few commercial farms but that are larger in size for commercial purposes. It is proposed as a means of acquiring economies of scale of large-scale production and lowering production costs for food, fiber and energy. The proponents of this approach see the need to use such approaches in other countries to guarantee global food sufficiency and security CITATION Nat101 l 1033 (National Research Council, 2010). The view is that landscapes are commodities land can produce; therefore, the emphasis is on increasing the yield per acre and or pounds of meat per animal. There are concerns regarding labor fairness, communities` vitality, animal welfare, and the negative environmental impacts. However, the argument is that these concerns can be dealt without overhauling the agricultural industry`s structure CITATION Nat101 l 1033 (National Research Council, 2010).The agrarian philosophy also known as alternative or multifunctional agriculture, on the other hand, perceives agriculture as having a vital social function beyond food, fiber and biofuel production. Social functions here are provision of positive ecological serv...