"There can be no prescription, no set of rules, for living within Gaia. For each of our different actions, there are only consequences."
"Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth" is the first presentation in book form of the Gaia Hypothesis by James Lovelock. The hypothesis, which is extremely contentious to this day, originated from Lovelock's work with NASA to produce life detecting instruments for use in the exploration of Mars. Lovelock's hypothesis stems from the observation that the Earth's atmosphere contains elements that are in "violation of the rules of chemistry," which indicates that the maintenance of this dis-equilibrium relies on a complex system of interaction with the world of which it is an extension, comparable to an organism's hair or feathers. The hypothesis, which is a further extrapolation of Lovelock's observations and scientific investigations, proposes that the earth acts as and is a living organism that maintains equilibrium through the interconnectedness of its biota, oceans, geological makeup, and atmosphere. This new proposal brings with it the idea that we, as sentient, intelligent beings who are increasingly becoming a larger part of the biota that makes up this organism, bear responsibility for the inevitable consequences of our actions and interactions with it.
Links:
James Lovelock Website
Citation Information:
Lovelock, J. (1979). Gaia: A new look at life on earth. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
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