ABSTRACT
Ontology as a form of enquiry asks questions regarding the nature of being so as to make assertions regarding the known nature of reality and how this can be legitimately known. A cross-cultural perspective affirms that cultural and historical differences create the possibility for plural ontologies. It suggests the parallel existence of different ways of understanding how reality is constructed, how the world and its entities can be known, and what constitutes appropriate ethical praxis in relation to these entities. Environmental anthropology has a critical role to play in generating nuanced understanding of the ontologies that have made it possible for human cultures in these contexts to maintain particular relational sustainabilities. The sub-discipline can thus assist with enhancing awareness regarding possibilities for living in more accommodating ethical relationships with many kinds of selves, only some of whom are human. This chapter reviews some ontological themes that seem consistent among the cultures considered by Gorenflo to be 'compatible with high biodiversity'.
