Sustainability in knowledge‐centered socio‐scientific systems

Abstract

The scientific research program of a knowledge‐centered systems‐oriented approach to socio‐scientific conceptualization is invoked here to develop a broader concept of human sustainability. Knowledge‐induced fields are shown to arise from the process‐oriented methodology of an interactive, integrative and evolutionary (IIE) worldview of continuous learning. Such a process is found to give rise to a unique theory of generalized systems with a universal paradigm and application that are premised on the epistemology of unity of knowledge. We discuss the validity of this model for human development as objectified by the concept of a well‐being criterion function with extensive complementarity among the variables and relations embedded in this criterion. The underlying epistemology of unity of knowledge and a unified worldview is thus shown to yield a substantively new concept of human sustainability, particularly relating to issues and curriculum design in higher education and their socio‐scientific implications.