Saturday, August 15, 2009

Economics in diversity

'Decoupling the concept of monetary values from economic monism must be complemented by correspondingly decoupling the norms of value articulation from the established value hierarchy whose viability is causally interdependent on the elicited values. Logically it is impossible to include all types of values; a more fruitful way of thinking is to repudiate institution that would exclude any. To paraphrase Samuel Tilden (cited in Dewey, 1954), the means by which a hierarchy comes to be a hierarchy is the more important thing. The monistic economic value is sustained by, and in turn sustains, the monistic structure of economics. Merely diversifying the ends to be pursued is not sufficient to addressing value pluralism. '

This is a paragraph in my literature review. The idea is theoretically oriented and complex. This is the central theme of my thesis, which embodies the notion of 'economics in diversity'. I have a feeling that this is a quite important concept to dealing with our current challenge, that is, ecological limits, risks, and uncertainties, and all associated social impacts. The linkage is not very clear to me at the moment. But I think the 'targets' of the sustainability movement are beyond science and human's selfishness. The core issues, in fact, revolve around ethical diversity.

Maybe I can write this up as a book some day??!