Biophysical Economics: The Economics Perspective

Abstract

From its inception, biophysical economics has been dedicated to the unity of the approaches of natural and social science as a way to understand the interaction of humans and nature. This chapter explores methods of better accomplishing this goal. We believe that such a unity of methods of inquiry will produce a deeper understanding of the present and future problems that face us in a potentially energy-short and climate-compromised world. Usually the study of natural and social sciences is approached separately. Ecology and biophysics are studied as natural science while economics and social history as social sciences. Upon what grounds can we unify them?