From Regeneration to Coherence:
Synthesis of Regenerative Economics and the Primary Axiom of Value into a Life-Coherent Framework
This document presents a comprehensive framework synthesizing Regenerative Economics and the Primary Axiom of Value into a Life-Coherent Framework aimed at transforming civilization. The framework addresses interconnected crises such as ecological overshoot, economic inequality, and governance failures by proposing a unified approach that aligns systems with the conditions necessary for life to thrive. It emphasizes the need for coherence across organic, social, and ecological capacities, advocating for a reorientation of policies and practices towards sustaining life.
Introduction
The introduction outlines the current systemic crises, highlighting the misalignment between dominant economic values and those essential for sustaining life. It critiques traditional economic models that prioritize GDP and financial returns while ignoring the health of ecosystems and communities. The document introduces two frameworks: Regenerative Economics, which focuses on vitality through circulation and mutualism, and the Primary Axiom of Value, which defines value based on its support for life.
The Ten Principles of Regenerative Economics
The document delineates ten principles of Regenerative Economics, categorized into four overarching themes: Circulation, Organizational Structure, Relationships & Values, and Collective Learning. Each principle is accompanied by metrics that assess the health and resilience of systems. For instance, maintaining robust circulation is essential for connecting all parts of an economic system, while ensuring sufficient diversity enhances adaptability and resilience.
Circulation Principles
- Maintain Robust, Cross-Scale Circulation: Healthy circulation of resources is vital for systemic health.
- Regenerative Re-Investment: Continuous investment into internal capacities is necessary for self-renewal.
Organizational Structure Principles
- Maintain Reliable Inputs: Systems require stable, life-enabling inputs for long-term viability.
- Ensure Healthy Outputs: Outputs must not degrade future life conditions.
Relationships & Values Principles
- Balance and Integrate Elements: A mix of different-sized elements optimizes flow and resilience.
- Promote Mutually-Beneficial Relationships: Trust and cooperation are essential for healthy systems.
Collective Learning Principles
- Promote Constructive Activity: Economic activities should build capacity rather than extract value.
- Effective, Adaptive Learning: Systems must learn and adapt through feedback and reflection.
The Primary Axiom of Value
The Primary Axiom of Value serves as an ontological foundation for determining what constitutes true value, emphasizing that actions supporting life are of value, while those that harm life are of disvalue. This principle encourages a shift from money-value to life-value as the guiding metric for economic and policy decisions.
Life-Capacity Dimensions
The document identifies three life-capacity dimensions: Organic, Social, and Ecological. Each dimension is crucial for assessing the value of systems in terms of their support for life.
Synthesizing Regeneration and Life-Value
The synthesis of regenerative principles with the Primary Axiom creates a Life-Coherent Compass, providing a heuristic for decision-making that asks whether a system nourishes and evolves life capacities. This compass serves as a moral and existential guide for systemic transformation.
Applications of the Life-Coherent Framework
The framework is applicable across various domains, including policy design, education, public health, and governance. It advocates for redirecting investments towards life-capacity building and integrating life-value metrics into decision-making processes. Specific examples include circular economy reforms and community-based education systems.
Metrics and Indicators
To measure life-coherence, the document proposes a multi-layered approach to metrics that includes Regenerative System Metrics and Life-Value Indicators. These metrics aim to reflect the real conditions of life and guide systemic transformation.
Implementation Roadmap
The implementation roadmap outlines a phased approach to scaling the Life-Coherent Framework, starting with pilot projects and expanding through networks of practice and shared learning. It emphasizes the importance of institutional integration and legal infrastructure to support life-coherent principles.
Reimagining Leverage Points: The paper also reinterprets Donella Meadows’ leverage points to align interventions with life-value principles, advocating for actions that sustain and enhance life capacities across biological, ecological, social, and spiritual dimensions.
Ostrom’s Principles Reformulated: Elinor Ostrom’s eight principles for commons governance are also reformulated through the lens of LVOA, aiming to foster regeneration and coherence in managing shared resources rather than relying on utilitarian or anthropocentric assumptions.
Conclusion
The document concludes by emphasizing the need to reclaim the pulse of life through the adoption of the Life-Coherent Framework. It calls for a collective effort to shift from extractive to regenerative systems, fostering a civilization that prioritizes the flourishing of all life.
