Mintchev, Nikolay; (2025) Understanding Prosperity in Contemporary Debates: Epistemological Considerations. Social Epistemology: A Journal of Knowledge, Culture and Policy pp. 1-16. 10.1080/02691728.2025.2488329. (In press).

Preview

Text Mintchev - Understanding Prosperity in Contemporary Debates Epistemological Considerations.pdf - Published Version Download (705kB) | Preview

Abstract

This article gives an account of the basic cognition/knowledge that ordinary English speakers need in order to understand the meaning of prosperity and engage with contemporary debates on the topic. The concept of prosperity is widely used for critiquing economic growth and developing new visions of progress that aim to improve quality of life for people and planet. A key argument in this conversation is that we need to ‘redefine prosperity’ away from material wealth and growth, and towards radically new visions of sustainable flourishing. This narrative of redefinition, however, raises multiple questions about the meaning of prosperity: What kind of a thing is prosperity and what exactly is being redefined? What are its distinguishing features? If prosperity as wealth and as thriving are radically different, why are they both called prosperity? The article addresses these questions firstly by explaining why an essential definition of prosperity is impossible, and secondly by proposing that we teach and learn about prosperity through a multi-level structure that includes (1) a descriptive account of the term’s various meanings (including as both wealth and thriving), (2) an ‘ameliorative’ definition that serves a critical purpose, and (3) an operational definition enumerating the concrete elements that constitute prosperity in context.

Download activity - last month

Export as JSONXMLCSV

Download activity - last 12 months

Export as CSVXMLJSON

Downloads by country - last 12 months

Export as JSONCSVXML

Archive Staff Only

View Item