He proposes that to avoid disaster we must adopt the best of technology and bend our minds to halting and reversing the effects of global warming now. Beyond these generally accepted facts, the gaia hypothesis. Gaia contains elements of fact, theory, and wishful thinking. The notion that the biosphere exerts important controls on the atmosphere and other parts of the earth system has increasingly gained acceptance among earth and ecosystem scientists. Thus, the common horizon of political action and moral commitmentearth is a system put out of whack that. We feel that we belong here as if this planet were indeed our home. As an ecologist and all round nature lover i am rather familiar with lovelocks gaia concept, one that i have not been wholly convinced by. The gaia hypothesis has since been supported by a number of scientific experiments5 and provided a number of useful predictions,6 and hence is properly referred to as the gaia theory. In a paper presented at the united nations university in tokyo on 25 september 1992, lovelock explained that, although contentious, the gaia hypothesis has.
I pointed out that the singular term, the gaia hypothesis, was being applied to many different propositions, ranging from. Lovelock, however, has stated that earth is very much like the human body in that both can be viewed as a system of interacting components. Long ago the greeks, thinking this way, gave to the earth the name gaia or, for short, ge. In fact, it was the search for life on mars that led to lovelocks early ideas about the existence of gaia. The gaia hypothesis is an ecological hypothesis proposing that the biosphere and the physical components of the earth atmosphere, cryosphere, hydrosphere and lithosphere are closely integrated to form a complex interacting system that maintains the climatic and biogeochemical conditions on earth in a preferred homeostasis. Gaia hypothesis, model of the earth in which its living and nonliving parts are viewed as a complex interacting system that can be thought of as a single organism. He is best known for proposing the gaia hypothesis, which postulates that the earth functions as a selfregulating system with a phd in medicine, lovelock began his career performing cryopreservation experiments on rodents, including successfully. Basic evolutionary theory disproves this almost completely survival of the fittest what does lynn margulis say makes dawkins views on evolution and the gaia hypothesis compatible. Gaia hypothesis village as lovelock at the time bowerchalke, wiltshire, uk. For more than a century students of the evolution of the living and nonliving parts of the earth have known that life influences the physical and chemical characteristic of the planet.
Gaia theory is a compelling new way of understanding life on our planet. Welcome to the personal website of james lovelock, originator of gaia theory, inventor of the electron capture detector which made possible the detection of cfcs and other atmospheric nanopollutants and of the microwave oven. Gaia appears to be a selfregulating system, continually adjusting its chemical, physical, and biological processes in order to support life in its continuing evolution. While this concept has its origins in the work of american oceanographer alfred c. Ive been curious about the scientific angle as well as the broader cultural import of gaia.
The gaia hypothesis now gaia theory thanks to lots of scientific work, modelling and testing was a real bolt from the blue for me. James lovelocks gaia hypothesis has challenged conventional thinking about the nature of the earth as an integrated system. His proposal is a scientific hypothesis, not a religious perspective, but it has been regarded by. One part of gaia that is clearly fact is the recognition that earths organisms have a signi. It states that the earth copes with both incremental changes and sudden impacts by. Concept accepted more as a metaphor than a fact that the earth is not just a clump of rock and water but a selfregulating giant cell capable of adjusting to small and big changes and catastrophes in an intelligent and holistic manner. What is james lovelocks gaia theory and how is it viewed. The gaia hypothesis university of california, berkeley.
Lovelocks theory that life all clubs together for some sort of mutual advantage is inconceivable. However, i lack the necessary training to follow the technical discourse in scientific journals. Biogeochemists have devoted decades of painstaking work to tracing the details of these interactions. At other times he seems to be claiming that the earth is an organism which selfregu. The gaia theory offers insights into climate change, energy, health, agriculture, and other issues of great, if not urgent, importance. It argues that we are far more than just the third rock from the sun, situated precariously between freezing and. Gaia hypothesis synonyms, gaia hypothesis pronunciation, gaia hypothesis translation, english dictionary definition of gaia hypothesis. Lovelocks gaia hypothesis explain lovelocks gaia hypothesis. We have begun to add a new series of scientific papers by prof lovelock coauthors onto the website. Pdf james lovelock, gaia theory, and the rejection of. Lovelocks interest in atmospheric chemistry led him to seek a general, physical.
The gaia hypothesis formulated by james lovelock in the late 1960s presents the notion that our planet is a single selfmanaging organism which regulates the conditions necessary for life. After its publication in james lovelocks book gaia. Be sure to include the concept of symbiosis or mutualism. Lovelock named the idea after gaia, the primordial goddess who personified the. Gaia supports the theory of evolution, as well as suggesting that the earth is dominant over humanity, instead of the biblical paradigm of god giving humankind the right and responsibility of dominating the planet. James lovelock, gaia theory, and the rejection of factvalue dualism.
It was the novelist william golding who proposed the name gaia. It argues that we are far more than just the third rock from the sun, situated precariously between freezing and burning up. James lovelock is a scientist whose hypothesis about the nature of the earth has become widely known and influential. Many of these analogies are useful in trying to explain the general idea behind the gaia hypothesis, although they should not be taken literally. James lovelock and the gaia hypothesis new scientist. Lynn margulis has been lovelocks most important collaborator in developing gaian concepts7. James lovelock gaia theory college of science and mathematics. Viewed from this angle, there are certain predictions and experiments that can be performed to refute or lend evidence to the gaia hypothesis. A new look at life on earth it revolutionized the perspective of earth as a living being and. The gaia hypothesis, also known as the gaia theory or the gaia principle, proposes that living organisms interact with their inorganic surroundings on earth to form a synergistic and selfregulating, complex system that helps to maintain and perpetuate the conditions for life on the planet the hypothesis was formulated by the chemist james. James lovelocks gaia hypothesis revolutionises how we.
Lovelocks gaia hypothesis advanced understanding that a planet with abundant life will have an atmosphere with thermodynamic disequilibrium and that earth is habitable because of complex linkages and feedbacks between the atmosphere, oceans, land, and biosphere, which helped shape ess lawton, 2001, p. The gaia hypothesis postulates that the earths surface is maintained in a habitable. Extending the domain of freedom, or why gaia is so. Principle, which is at the core of lovelocks theory.
Gladly we accepted his suggestion and gaia is also the name of the hypothesis of science which postulates that the climate and the composition of the earth always are close to an optimum for whatever life inhabits it. James lovelock originator of gaia theory and inventor of. If billions of varied cells can evolve and come together to form something called a human being, one that is self aware, thinks and has imagination. Gaia hypothesis 1 gaia hypothesis the study of planetary habitability is partly based upon extrapolation from knowledge of the earths conditions, as the earth is the only planet currently known to harbour life. Environmentalism has become a religion and does not pay enough attention to facts, according to james lovelock the 94 yearold scientist, famous for his gaia hypothesis that earth is a self. Beyond these generally accepted facts, the gaia hypothesis advances three central propositions. Does the gaia hypothesis imply that the biosphere is a single living organism. The gaia hypothesis has since been supported by a number of scientific experiments and provided a number of useful predictions, and hence is properly referred to as the gaia theory. James lovelocks gaia hypothesis posits that life itself has intervened in the regulation of the planetary environment in order to keep it stable and favorable for life. The gaia hypothesis, also known as gaia theory or gaia principle, proposes that all organisms and their inorganic surroundings. Fact, theory, and wishful thinking 393 clarify and focus the gaia debate, which seemed to be at risk of becoming a shouting match between disciples and detractors.
Why did the public love james lovelocks gaia theory so much while scientists hated it. Ive read some of lovelocks popular work, as well of some of his critics. Lovelocks gaia hypothesis was the first of its kind at the time and with such a broad and unique concept, it was met with numerous interpretations from fellow scientists and researches in a vast array of both scientific and nonscientific fields. A system may be selfcorrecting, as with the famous daisyworld. Biologyhans papers 2010tilman and downing 1994 nature. The gaia hypothesis a, also known as the gaia theory or the gaia principle, proposes. I shall use gaia as a casestudy to show the philosophical. In explaining these differential components between the developed and the developing world, from a gaia hypothesis point of view, earth as a. James lovelocks gaia hypothesis revolutionises how we view the planet. The hypothesis, which is named after the greek goddess gaia, was formulated by the scientist james lovelock and codeveloped by the microbiologist lynn margulis in the 1970s.
Extending the domain of freedom, or why gaia is so hard to. The gaia hypothesis is the theory that living organisms and inorganic material are part of a dynamic system that shape earths. The gaia hypothesis and earth system science the following is an excerpt from scientists on gaia by stephen schneider and penelope boston mit press. Exploring our lovehate relationship with gaia new scientist. Lovelock argues that humans have now pushed gaia to her limit. Gaia theory model and metaphor for the 21st century. Gaia hypothesis definition of gaia hypothesis by the. Lovelocks gaia hypothesis completely contradicts the truth about the planet as written in genesis 1. Redfield in the mid1950s, it was english scientist and inventor james.
Specifically, the gaia hypothesis said that the temperature, oxidation. The gaia hypothesis by michael ruse gets to the heart of the question. First proposed in the 1970s, lovelocks hypothesis remains highly controversial and continues to provoke fierce debate. Overall, the gaia theory is a compelling new way of understanding life on our planet. James lovelock born 1919 is an independent scientist from devon who, after developing his famous gaia hypothesis, gained a notorious status in the scientific community. Processing of the greenhouse gas co2, explained below, plays a critical role in the. Gaia hypothesis humans, examples, body, used, water. Perhaps this helps to explain how the beneficence of nature has become a. James ephraim lovelock, ch cbe frs born 26 july 1919 is an independent scientist, environmentalist, and futurist. Hence forward the word gaia will be used to describe the biosphere. Ridiculed by some, gaia theory the idea that all living and nonliving components on earth work together to promote life is gaining support. This uncertainty explains the wide range of reactions triggered by. Gaia theory simply maintains that earths natural cycles work together to keep the earth healthy and support life on earth. The theory asserts that living organisms and their inorganic surroundings have evolved together as a single living system that greatly affects the chemistry and conditions of earths surface.
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