The Sustainability of Sustainability

Abstract

The concept of sustainability is confused and controversial, this resulting from ideological differences. It is a concept often connected to viability, which similarly becomes subject to difference of understanding. It becomes clear that the ideological differences are consistent with the rise of distinct paradigms. The paper considers two opposing paradigms that together and through degrees of congruency between them can be used to represent the whole set of paradigms. Using cybernetic agency theory, a set of generic mindsets is created. The paper then shows that each of the generic mindsets can be associated with various given paradigmatic values and goals of sustainability.