THE CULTURAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

Views: 22 / PDF downloads: 2

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.32523/3080-1281-2026-155-2-51-66

Keywords:

cultural-philosophical context; cultural sustainability; ESG principles; sustainable development; ethical theories; values; holistic philosophy

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to explore the cultural and philosophical foundations of the concept of sustainable development. The research analyzes the philosophical meaning of the concept of sustainable development, discussing its cultural significance, as well as the interconnections of its metaphysical, ethical and ecological aspects. In this regard, the theoretical positions and philosophical concepts of researchers from various periods have been considered. Furthermore, since the concept of sustainable development is not limited to the well-being of individuals but also encompasses the stability of the environment in which humanity lives, it is defined as a holistic approach that aligns with the current principles of environmental, social and governance (ESG). To address these issues, a review of scientific literature has been conducted and through a comparative method, the cultural-philosophical paradigm of sustainable development has been clarified, with the importance of ethical and philosophical theories in the context of sustainable development being highlighted.

In conclusion, it has been demonstrated that sustainable development is a holistic philosophical system that requires the harmonious functioning of ESG principles. The philosophical propositions discussed in this article form the cultural-philosophical foundation of sustainable development and propose ethical mechanisms for overcoming contemporary ecological and social crises.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Agyeman, J., Bullard, R. D., & Evans, B. (2003). Joined-up thinking: Bringing together sustainability, environmental justice and equity. In J. Agyeman, R. D. Bullard, & B. Evans (Eds.), Just sustainabilities: Development in an unequal world (pp. 1–16). MIT Press.

Dentith, A., et al. (2022). Curriculum, environment and the work of C. A. Bowers: Ecological and cultural perspectives. Routledge.

Endere, M. L., et al. (2024). Heritage and sustainability. In Encyclopedia of archaeology (2nd ed., pp. 589–596). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-323-90799-6.00040-9

Frantzeskaki, N., Loorbach, D., & Meadowcroft, J. (2012). Governing societal transitions to sustainability. International Journal of Sustainable Development, 15(1–2), 19–36. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJSD.2012.044032

Harrison, P. R. (1996). Towards a philosophy of nature. In W. Cronon (Ed.), Uncommon ground: Rethinking the human place in nature (pp. 380–392). W. W. Norton & Company.

Hawkes, J. (2001). The fourth pillar of sustainability: Culture's essential role in public planning. Cultural Development Network.

Hursthouse, R. (2006). Environmental virtue ethics: A review of some current work. Journal of Agricultural and Environmental Ethics, 19, 391–424. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10806-006-9002-0

Jenkins, W. (2009). Berkshire encyclopedia of sustainability: The spirit of sustainability (Vol. 1). Berkshire Publishing Group.

Kureethadam, J. I. (2017). The philosophical roots of the ecological crisis: Descartes and the modern worldview. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. https://doi.org/10.65325/EB6410

Kymlicka, W. (1995). Modern politisk filosofi [Modern political philosophy]. Nya Doxa.

Lele, S. M. (1991). Sustainable development: A critical review. World Development, 19(6), 607–621. https://doi.org/10.1016/0305-750X(91)90197-P

Leoni, F. (2026). Ex nihilo. In S. Vizzardelli & R. Panattoni (Eds.), Plasticity and discontinuity (Lecture Notes in Morphogenesis). Springer Nature. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-03119-8_1

Leopold, A. (1949). A sand county almanac: And sketches here and there. Oxford University Press.

Mandelbaum, B., & Mandelbaum, E. (2026). Id, ego, and superego. In T. Teo (Ed.), The Palgrave encyclopedia of theoretical and philosophical psychology. Palgrave Macmillan. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-70581-6_374-1

Molotokienė, E. (2022). A philosophical analysis of the concept of sustainable development. Regional Formation and Development Studies, 31(2), 148–156. https://doi.org/10.15181/rfds.v31i2.2106

Naess, A. (2005). The shallow and the deep, long-range ecology movement: A summary. In A. Drengson & H. Glasser (Eds.), The selected works of Arne Naess (Vol. 10, pp. 7–12). Springer.

Radzi, S., et al. (2023). An overview of environmental, social and governance (ESG) and company performance. European Proceedings of Social and Behavioural Sciences. https://doi.org/10.15405/epsbs.2023.11.90

Sachs, W. (2010). Resources. In W. Sachs (Ed.), The development dictionary: A guide to knowledge as power (2nd ed., pp. 24–32). Zed Books.

Scott, A. J. (2001). Capitalism, cities, and the production of symbolic forms. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers, 26(1), 11–23. https://doi.org/10.1111/1475-5661.00003

Shiva, V. (2010). Resources. In W. Sachs (Ed.), The development dictionary: A guide to knowledge as power (2nd ed., pp. 228–242). Zed Books.

Singh, D. M. K. (2021). Jean Paul Sartre on man, society and freedom. Rajat Publications.

Smuts, J. C. (2006). Holism and evolution. MacMillan and Company. (Original work published 1926). https://archive.org/details/holismandevoluti032439mbp

Dessein, J., Soini, K., Fairclough, G., & Horlings, L. (2015). Culture in, for and as sustainable development: Conclusions from the COST Action IS1007 investigating cultural sustainability. University of Jyväskylä. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.1.3380.7844

Throsby, D. (1995). Culture, economics and sustainability. Journal of Cultural Economics, 19(3), 199–206. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01074049

Throsby, D. (2012). The economics of cultural policy. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9780511845253

UNESCO. (2013). Culture: A driver and an enabler of sustainable development. UNESCO. https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000226382

World Commission on Environment and Development. (1987). Our common future. Oxford University Press. https://www.brundtland.co.za/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Brundtland-Report-1987-Our-Common-Future.pdf

Vereb, Z. (2025). Kant and environmental philosophy: The climate crisis and the imperative of sustainability. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781009664905

Van Steenbergen, B. (1990). Potential influence of the holistic paradigm on the social sciences. Futures, 22(10), 1071–1083.

World Commission on Environment and Development (WCED). (1987). Our common future. Oxford University Press.

Yesim, G. (2020). An insider's critique of the Kazakh people and nation: Reflections on the writings of Abai Kunanbai-uhli. Asia Research Associates.

Инишев, И. (2008). Хайдеггер и философия языка. Вестник РГГУ. Серия «Философия. Социология. Искусствоведение», (7). https://cyberleninka.ru/article/n/haydegger-i-filosofiya-yazyka-1

Плаксина, O. (2019). Устойчивость общества в социально-философском учении Аристотеля. Грани, 22(3), 62–76. https://doi.org/10.15421/171933

Сейсенбаев, Р. (2015). Әл-Фараби. Қайырымды қала. In Әлем халықтарының әдебиеті. Менің 100 кітабым (p. 294). Халықаралық Абай клубы. https://kazneb.kz/kk/bookView/view?brId=1525062

Downloads

Published

2026-06-30

How to Cite

“THE CULTURAL AND PHILOSOPHICAL FOUNDATIONS OF THE CONCEPT OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT”. 2026. JETE – JОURNAL OF PHILOSOPHY, RELIGIOUS AND CULTURAL STUDIES 155 (2): 51-66. https://doi.org/10.32523/3080-1281-2026-155-2-51-66.

Similar Articles

1-10 of 82

You may also start an advanced similarity search for this article.