Critical Realism and the Objective Value of Sustainability: Philosophical and Ethical Approaches

Critical Realism and the Objective Value of Sustainability explores how sustainability occurs objectively in the natural world and society, proposing an ethical theory of sustainability as an objective value rooted in the holistic web of relationships between living things. It argues that sustainability value must guide individual decisions and socio-economic development efforts and that there are non-negotiable pre-established conditions for our planet's sustainability.

Format: Hardback
Length: 186 pages
Publication date: 29 February 2024
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Critical realism and the objective value of sustainability play a pivotal role in the ongoing discourse surrounding the concept of sustainability. By employing a critical realist approach within a transdisciplinary theoretical framework, the book delves into the examination of how sustainability objectively manifests itself in the natural world and society.

The book establishes an ethical framework for sustainability as an objective value, grounded not in human subjective preferences but in the intricate web of relationships, interdependencies, and obligations that exist among living organisms on Earth. This web, which is believed to have sustained life on our planet for the past 3.7 billion years, forms the foundation of the book's argument. It proposes three pillars of sustainability ethics: contentment for the human existence bestowed upon us; justice, which extends beyond distributive justice; and meaningful freedom, constrained within ecological and moral boundaries.

Through the use of abductive reasoning, the book infers the existence of an out-of-this-world Sustainer behind the Earth's sustainability, functioning as a metaphysical source of all being and value. It argues that sustainability value, accepted as a shared understanding of the common good, must guide individual decisions and socio-economic development efforts as a matter of deliberate choice. Moreover, it emphasizes the importance of building sustainability on the awareness that there are non-negotiable pre-established conditions for the planet's sustainability.

This book holds significance for students and scholars across various fields of inquiry, including sustainability, sustainable development, environmental philosophy and ethics, philosophy of science, and ecological economics. It also appeals to anyone who may wonder about the reasons behind the existence of seasons and the nature of human creativity. By exploring the objective value of sustainability, the book offers valuable insights into the complex interplay between nature, society, and ethical considerations, contributing to our understanding of the path toward a more sustainable and resilient future.

Weight: 456g
Dimension: 163 x 242 x 20 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781032310015