ECO‐Logic: the Evolution of a Philosophy and Economics of Nature

This paper addresses the relationships between modern society's economic orientations and its philosophical understanding of nature. As society evolves, so does the relationship it constructs between human culture and the rest of nature. We describe the relationship between the logic of decision‐making and our views of ecological management and the economics of nature's resources. After briefly describing five “logical frameworks” for guiding the interactions between human society and nature, with different consequences for how we perceive and act towards nature, we focus on the two which seem most promising for the future, Resource Management and Eco‐Development. We conclude that Eco‐Development more fully integrates ecological principles with those of economics and social equity, and therefore holds the most promise for the development of the sophisticated kind of “Eco‐Logic” which is needed to guide decision‐making for sustainable development.