Abstract
This essay rejects the notion that we understand sustainability well enough to talk about 'sustaining sustainable design'. The wide-ranging literature is surveyed to explore the contested meaning of sustainability. What emerges is an evolution of the meaning, with enlarging scope and philosophical basis, from an environmental emphasis to a focus on human flourishing and caring. A definition consistent with the most evolved view is that: 'Sustainability is the possibility that humans and other life will flourish on the Earth forever.' Ideas are presented about how flourishing can guide design.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 252-259 |
| Number of pages | 8 |
| Journal | International Journal of Engineering Education |
| Volume | 26 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| State | Published - 2010 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Education
- General Engineering