Ecological economics has been repeatedly described as transdisciplinary and open toudincluding everything from positivism to relativism. I argue for a revision and rejection of thisudposition in favour of realism and reasoned critique. Looking into the ontologicaludpresuppositions and considering an epistemology appropriate for ecological economics toudmeaningfully exist requires rejecting the form of methodological pluralism which has beenudadvocated since the start of this journal. This means being clear about the differences in ourudworldview (or paradigm) from others and being aware of the substantive failures of orthodoxudeconomics in addressing reality. This paper argues for a fundamental review of the basisudupon which ecological economics has been founded and in so doing seeks improved clarity asudto the competing and complementary epistemologies and methodologies. In part this requiresudestablishing serious interdisciplinary research to replace superficial transdisciplinary rhetoric.udThe argument places the future of ecological economics firmly amongst heterodox economicudschools of thought and in ideological opposition to those supporting the existing institutionaludstructures perpetuating a false reality of the world's social, environmental and economicudsystems and their operation. (author's abstract)
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