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Contribution to Book
Buddhism and Sustainable Development
Managing intermediate size cities: sustainable development in a growth region of Thailand
  • Lou Matz, University of the Pacific
Document Type
Contribution to Book
Department
Philosophy
Editor(s)
Michael Romanos and Christopher Auffrey
Description

The attempt to study and evaluate development in Thailand within the framework of sustainable development raises the philosophical question of the extent to which Buddhism in Thailand might be amenable to the adoption of a sustainable development approach. I contend that a Buddhist approach to development affirms the core elements of sustainable development and so ought to be receptive to its implementation. In the course of my chapter, I briefly explain the basic ideas of Theravada Buddhism, the form of Buddhism in Thailand; isolate what I believe are the core objectives of sustainable development; clarify what prominent Thai monks and scholars believe are the limitations of traditional dimensions of sustainability and hence can learn much from each other. Proponents of sustainable development have focused primarily on the realm of policy making and formulation of specific indicators to measure scientifically the sustainability of policies and practices, whereas Buddhists in Thailand have focused far more on attaining moral and spiritual awareness and have neglected the importance of public policy making. Both dimensions are essential to truly free and sustainable societies.

Find in WorldCat
https://www.worldcat.org/title/managing-intermediate-size-cities-sustainable-development-in-a-growth-region-of-thailand/oclc/751543442&referer=brief_results
ISBN
978-94-017-2170-7
DOI
10.1007/978-94-017-2170-7_2
Publication Date
1-1-2002
Publisher
Kluwer Academic Publisher
Keywords
  • Sustainable Development,
  • Moral Virtue,
  • Sustainable Society,
  • Ozone Layer Depletion,
  • Buddhist Tradition
Disciplines
Comments

Part of the The GeoJournal Library book series (GEJL, volume 69)

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-94-017-2170-7_2
Citation Information
Lou Matz. "Buddhism and Sustainable Development" Dordrecht, the NetherlandsManaging intermediate size cities: sustainable development in a growth region of Thailand (2002) p. 23 - 38
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/lou-matz/5/