Many believe that religion and science do not mix (though Albert Einstein would disagree!)

Nonetheless, Buddhism is less a religion in the conventional sense, and more a philosophy or world view with an outlook quite compatible with prevailing scientific epistemologies. It does propose a number of somewhat metaphysical properties of the universe and its ecology but, surprisingly to some, many of these principles (or perhaps, empirically open “laws”) are closely aligned with ecological economics.

This talk presents some (contestable!) ideas about these commonalities between Buddhism and ecological economics and its laudable goals for sustained, positive wellbeing for people within nature. It also discusses if the Buddhist world view can provide some guidance and deeper justification or meaning to substantive changes in human motives and understandings of the sources of wellbeing.