Philosophy, Complexity, and Environment: Epistemological Framework on Contemporary Issues

Abstract

The present research aims to generate a transdisciplinary epistemological framework, from a complex philosophical understanding and interpretation with environmental thinking, that guides educational policies and practices towards sustainability, socio-ecological justice and the integration of diverse knowledge. The research was carried out using a qualitative approach with a transdisciplinary complex-philosophical discourse; the design was documentary and conceptual, synthesizing indexed literature, legal texts - including Ecuador's constitutional innovations on Good living and the rights of nature - and ancestral epistemologies. The results identify three interrelated pillars: (1) ethical synderesis as a moral disposition guiding practical deliberation, integrating ethical reflection into technical decisions; (2) Sumak Kawsay/Buen Vivir as a plural and territorially situated cosmology that supports policies of rights of nature and interspecies well-being; and (3) complexity-informed transdisciplinary governance approaches that foster coevolution, reflexivity, and adaptive learning by integrating scientific, legal, local, and ancestral knowledge. It is concluded that complexity thinking improves environmental epistemology by articulating temporal scales, normative commitments, and knowledge cultures, offering analytical clarity and operational guidance for policy, education, and participatory ecosystem management.