Taking evolution seriously: the role of ecological economics in escaping the Anthropocene and reaching for the Ecozoic

Peter G. Brown and John Gowdy

Chapter 6 in Sustainable Wellbeing Futures, 2020, pp 90-101 from Edward Elgar Publishing

Abstract: The twentieth century founders of ecological economics recognized that there must be a close connection between Earth system science and economic theory and policy. Unfortunately, their dire predictions of the inability of standard economic theory to address ecological and social catastrophes have come to pass. Given the magnitude of current crises in Earth systems and human social systems and the economic failure of neoliberalism, the need for a new understanding of the economy and economic policy is obvious. This new understanding can be grounded in another, almost unnoticed, collapse. Our ancient Judeo–Christian–Muslim belief in the god-like centrality of humans in the universe has been swept aside by modern science. Unwittingly, however, the old creation stories still underpin current mainstream social science and are embedded in concepts like “justice,†“property,†“ethics†and “human nature.†Of particular importance to formulating science-based theories and policies are new empirical findings and theoretical breakthroughs in evolutionary biology. We use current understandings from evolutionary biology to advance the term “Ecozoic†as a way to open the door to a new conception of human/Earth relationships based on mutualism, reciprocity, and respect. This is the great work that lies before ecological economics, if we are to fashion a “civilization†worthy of the name.

Keywords: Economics and Finance; Environment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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