Chapter 1 - Why write a history?

Abstract

This chapter discusses the reasons for exploring the history of weed science development in the United States. Weed science has been strongly influenced by technology developed by supporting industries, employed in research by weed scientists, and, ultimately, used by farmers. Weed scientists similar to scientists in many technological disciplines have not sought historical reflection. They have focused on results and progress. There is no analytical/interpretive history of weed science that identifies and explores its fundamental hypotheses and their consequences. Several useful chronologies of the creation and development of US weed science societies are available. However, none of these address the fundamental hypotheses of weed science that must be understood in their historical context, as an essential contribution to the desired goal of developing sustainable, environmentally, socially, and politically acceptable weed management methods for the world. Weed science is young among the sciences and has changed so rapidly in its young life that weed scientists have had a hard time just keeping up. Exploration of history presents the clarity of vision and long view of the changes in weed science over the years and its consequences.