SINOPSIS

Is it possible to overcome the hegemony of the reductionist neoclassical socioeconomic model of competition, utilitarian individualism and greed? Is it possible that the socioeconomic system is organising itself towards a critical state and thus ready for drastic changes in its theoretical foundations? In this ground-breaking study the author outlines the foundations of the holistic interdisciplinary science of Bioeconomics and discusses their applications and great implications for economics. He proposes the bioeconomic activity as a model for carrying out our socioeconomic enterprise by engaging the 'artificial' socioeconomic activity on a path to coevolution and codevelopment with the 'real' economy of nature from which it has been separated. We must end this attitude of biological apartheid. The bioeconomic perspective by emphasising the ethical co-operative values of the human organism in contrast to the egocentric competitive values of the human person will have far-reaching influence in guiding us towards a sustainable society. Education is given top priority by the author as he believes that it will be through education at all levels and both formal and informal that we can attain the goals of sustainable development towards the fruition of a sustainable society. He offers a critique of the education system with its entrenched bureaucracy at all levels and also of the educative process with its obsolete concepts and teaching methodology and proposes an innovative educative process.