Regenerative Oikonomics: A New Perspective on the Economic Process (Springer Studies in Alternative Economics)

This book presents a unique real-world-centred approach to economic life from a phenomenological approach. It offers a much-needed alternative to conventional economic thinking, giving a transdisciplinary depiction of the economic process’s social, cultural, technological, political, and ecological dimensions. Doing so appeals to students and researchers in economics aiming to get an alternative to the reductionist model-based approach. Written in a jargon-free and non-technical way, it appeals to non-economists alike and those seeking a more profound and living understanding of the economic process. What is the role of nature in the economic process? Is there more to economics than we have been told? Do we have infinite needs? What are these needs? Can we keep on growing forever? Does economic growth improve our wellbeing? Why is the income gap widening? What is the role of financial capital in our current world? Are there other forms of producing, distributing, and consuming wealth beyond markets? What are the functions of markets, and how do they work in the real world? These and many other aspects are discussed in living and holistic ways in this book. It is a must-read for all those interested in gaining a more profound and genuine understanding of our current reality and those looking for ways out of our current crises. Contents 6 Part I: What Went Wrong with Modern Economic Science? 8 Chapter 1: Introduction: Encounter of the Fifth Kind with an Alien Science 9 Chapter 2: Is Economics a Science? 14 References 21 Chapter 3: About Economists and Theologians 22 References 55 Chapter 4: Taking a Phenomenological Approach to Oikonomics: Looking at the World in Living and Holistic Terms 57 Reference 65 Part II: What Is the Oikonomy All About? 66 Chapter 5: Aristotle ́s View: Oikonomy as the Art of Living and Living Well 67 References 71 Chapter 6: Polanyi ́s View: The Different Forms of Oikonomy 72 References 104 Chapter 7: The Troubles with Free Markets 105 References 120 Part III: Nature ́s Oikonomy 122 Chapter 8: The Ways of Gaia 123 References 143 Chapter 9: A Matter of Scale 145 References 162 Chapter 10: Learning to See Again 163 References 173 Chapter 11: The Evolution of Consciousness 174 References 209 Internet Only Reference 210 Part IV: Human ́s Oikonomy 211 Chapter 12: Humans as Part of Nature ́s Oikonomy 212 References 223 Chapter 13: Are We in Need of Our Needs? 225 References 252 Chapter 14: Money, Cancer, and Finances: Why the Rich Get Rich, and the Poor Stay Poor? 253 References 269 Chapter 15: Conclusion: In Freedom and Responsibility 270 15.1 Going Beyond Markets and Government Control 270 15.2 The Origin of Wealth 279 15.3 Consciousness and Freedom 292 References 299 References 300 Internet Only References 300