摘要：In this paper we explore a new ontological foundation for ecopsychology research. Central to ecopsychology is the idea of the ecological self – the human self as a deeply interconnected part of wider nature (Naess, 1986/1995). The positivist methods which dominate the biomedical and natural sciences have no way of studying this interconnected self. Despite this, there is a risk that fears about mainstream scientific credibility may lead ecopsychology researchers to embrace a positivist approach. In the rush to gain apparent scientific acceptance, the heart of ecopsychology could be lost. We argue here that a radically contextual ontology is needed to protect the heart of ecopsychology. From this foundation, in our second paper, “The Ouroboros (Part 2)”, we go on to develop an alternative – transpersonal – methodology for ecopsychology research.
