ABSTRACT
This collection of papers is an effort to gather some novel approaches to study the interaction between branches of the natural and social sciences in an integrated framework. The elements of a new "paradigm" to consider economic processes in relation to physics and biology are starting to emerge more clearly, and, in some cases, they have already been erected from solid foundations. Prior to considering the main topics included in the volume, the reader may find it helpful to briefly glance at the historical development of the ideas related to energetic and ecological economics, and to consider the changes in global conditions that bestow renewed relevance to these issues in our days*
