A proposal systemic overring for appoach to the ontological problems in ecology

Authors

  • Carolina Inés García Curilaf UNTREF

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.34024/prometeica.2019.19.9646

Keywords:

Ontology, epistemology, ecology, Bunge

Abstract

Ecology has had since its beginnings philosophical problems, more precisely epistemological and ontological. This paper aims to present and characterize the ontological problems of ecology. Specifically, it will address the ontological problem of communities and ecosystems, that is, whether communities and ecosystems are mere aggregates of organisms, as individualism holds or communities and ecosystems have a real existence, as holism holds. From this work will propose a moderate position that takes into account both ontological conceptions, with more precision bunge´s system, according to which communities and ecosystems are systems that must be studied at both their micro-level and at their macro-level. The different difficulties presented by individualist and holistic ontologies will be analyzed to assure the progress and the solidity of knowledge, and the advantages of the implementation of the systemic ontology in ecology will be glimpsed. Different examples of ecological research will be presented through which we will visualize the ontological assumptions of holism, individualism and systemism. We conclude that if ecology assumes a moderate position on the ontological status of communities and ecosystems it can have greater objectivity, greater and better knowledge and will be enriched through both ontological and epistemological conceptions

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Published

2019-08-19

Issue

No. 19 (2019): Prometeica - nº 19 (08/2019 - 01/2020)

Section

Articles

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How to Cite

García Curilaf, C. I. (2019). A proposal systemic overring for appoach to the ontological problems in ecology. Prometeica - Journal of Philosophy and Science, 19, 6-19. https://doi.org/10.34024/prometeica.2019.19.9646