The current growth-addicted economy solely focused on the creation of human wealth appears to be in conflict with basic principles of the normative ethics that our civilization claims to be based on. A thorough ethical analysis of the descriptive ethics underlying today's economy most likely would reveal large discrepancies between the normative and descriptive ethics.
Transition to a Moral Economy
There are many initiative to facilitate a transition to a morally and ethically acceptable economy.
Examples: The Earthwhile Institute Foundation has a vision based on the principle that Nature is pre-eminent. The vision is that “the portion of humanity that survives the coming ecodystopia will have to organize itself in a manner that recognizes this fundamental principle. Economic, governmental, social, institutional models will have to be formed with this principle as the fundamental guiding priority. Free enterprise armatures, including all forms of production and distribution, will be governed to ensure that their activities in no way negatively impact nature and the environment and all life-forms. New consumption models will ensure that increased personal consumption equates to increased support for nature and the environment.”
Earthwhile commits itself to the creation and deployment of transitional models and technologies, in particular relating to personal consumption, to support nature and the environment.
