part i: brief overview of gaia - university of wisconsin gaia...as a student of g. i. gurdjieff...

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Philosophy, then, suggests one reason why we can not destroy the earth with moral impunity; namely, that the ‘dead’earth is an organism possessing a certain kind and degree of life, which we intuitively respect as such.

--Aldo Leopold

Part I: Brief Overview of GaiaPart I: Brief Overview of GaiaThe notion of The notion of ““GaiaGaia”” brings to mind a diverse brings to mind a diverse

set of ideas, including ideas that are:set of ideas, including ideas that are:•• Mythological, Mythological, •• Spiritual, Spiritual, •• Scientific, Scientific, •• EthicalEthical……

•• And these ideas can vary: And these ideas can vary: •• Meaningful, Meaningful, •• Preposterous,Preposterous,•• Quantifiable,Quantifiable,•• Reasonable, Reasonable,

Some uses of Some uses of ““GaiaGaia”” are simply examples of are simply examples of Shameless ConsumerismShameless Consumerism……

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Gaia in Mainstream LifeGaia in Mainstream Life……

Bottled WaterBottled Water

CosmeticsCosmetics

GemstonesGemstones

JewelryJewelry


Spiritual PracticesSpiritual Practices

Gaia Dance ClassGaia Dance Class

Holistic Healing & Holistic Healing & Health ProductsHealth Products

Gaia Trance VideosGaia Trance Videos

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Pets / ChildrenPets / Children

MusicMusic

MagazinesMagazines

Video GamesVideo Games


Online RoleOnline Role--playing gamesplaying games

Music Festivals Music Festivals & Bands& Bands

Art / Art StudiosArt / Art Studios


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Artistic SpiritualismArtistic Spiritualism

Pagan/Tribalism Pagan/Tribalism GroupsGroups

Gurus & Gaia Gurus & Gaia Vision questsVision quests


Athletics / AthletesAthletics / Athletes

Ultimate FrisbeeUltimate Frisbee

Gaia Global Gaia Global Charitable TrustsCharitable Trusts

Gaia Gaia BreadBread


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Brief Overview of GaiaBrief Overview of GaiaWhat is Gaia? The Plan:What is Gaia? The Plan:

1.1. Ancient Greek Mythology (Gaia as Earth Ancient Greek Mythology (Gaia as Earth Goddess)Goddess)

2.2. PlatoPlato’’s s TimaeusTimaeus (Earth as living, mindful, (Earth as living, mindful, soulful organism)soulful organism)

3.3. Descartes & Newton (Earth as dead Descartes & Newton (Earth as dead Mechanism)Mechanism)

4.4. Russian Mysticism (Earth as Russian Mysticism (Earth as Consciousness)Consciousness)•• LeopoldLeopold’’s rejection of s rejection of ““dead earthdead earth”” theoriestheories

5.5. LovelockLovelock’’s Gaia Hypothesis (Earth as Selfs Gaia Hypothesis (Earth as Self--Regulating System)Regulating System)

Greek Poet Greek Poet HesiodHesiod (700 BCE)(700 BCE)Ancient Greek Mythology is Ancient Greek Mythology is systematically presented in systematically presented in HesiodHesiod’’ss TheogonyTheogony, , includes:includes:•• the genealogy of various gods the genealogy of various gods

and goddesses.and goddesses.•• an account of the origin of the an account of the origin of the

cosmos/world.cosmos/world.

Primeval chaos brought Primeval chaos brought under the orderly rule of under the orderly rule of Zeus.Zeus.•• From this arose From this arose GaiaGaia..

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In Greek Mythology, Gaia refers to the In Greek Mythology, Gaia refers to the earth goddess, or earth mother.earth goddess, or earth mother.Gaia is one of numerous Greek Gaia is one of numerous Greek gods/goddesses. gods/goddesses. Gaia mates with her offspring Gaia mates with her offspring OuranosOuranos(starry heaven, father heaven) to produce (starry heaven, father heaven) to produce Oceanus (the river that encircles the world, Oceanus (the river that encircles the world, father of all rivers).father of all rivers).

Plato (427Plato (427--347 BCE)347 BCE)

In PlatoIn Plato’’s s TimaeusTimaeus, a different , a different account of the origin of the cosmos:account of the origin of the cosmos:•• The Divine Craftsman (The Demiurge) The Divine Craftsman (The Demiurge)

constructs the cosmos according to a constructs the cosmos according to a rational, mathematical idea or plan.rational, mathematical idea or plan.

•• This restores the Divinity of the world that This restores the Divinity of the world that was lacking in some of the prewas lacking in some of the pre--Socratic Socratic philosophers of nature.philosophers of nature.

•• That Divinity was a form of psyche (mind) That Divinity was a form of psyche (mind) that permeates the world/cosmos.that permeates the world/cosmos.

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As part of that Divine rational creation, As part of that Divine rational creation, Plato viewed our world was viewed as a Plato viewed our world was viewed as a living creature.living creature.•• And because it is a living creature, Plato And because it is a living creature, Plato

concludes that it must also have a soul.concludes that it must also have a soul.•• This This ““world soulworld soul”” is responsible for all is responsible for all

movement (just as our soul is movement (just as our soul is responsible for all our movements).responsible for all our movements).

PlatoPlato’’s account in the s account in the TimaeusTimaeus represents a represents a strong animalistic / strong animalistic / organismicorganismic strain in strain in Western Philosophy.Western Philosophy.•• Also forms the basis of understanding Also forms the basis of understanding

humanity as an interplay of the various humanity as an interplay of the various ““animal spiritsanimal spirits””..

Descartes & Newton:Descartes & Newton:The Scientific RevolutionThe Scientific Revolution

Rene Descartes Rene Descartes (1596(1596--1650) & 1650) & Isaac Newton Isaac Newton (1642(1642--1727) are 1727) are key figures in key figures in developing the developing the idea the Earth idea the Earth (and the cosmos (and the cosmos in general) is a in general) is a Great Machine.Great Machine.

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Descartes & Newton:Descartes & Newton:Mechanism dominates Mechanism dominates modern scientific modern scientific understanding of the earth understanding of the earth in every respect.in every respect.Able to refine predictions, Able to refine predictions, harness natureharness nature’’s energys energy………… and to and to create create remarkable remarkable gadgets.gadgets.

Russian MysticismRussian Mysticism

As a student of G. I. As a student of G. I. GurdjieffGurdjieff (1872(1872--1949), 1949), P.D. P.D. OuspenskyOuspensky (1878(1878--1947) publishes 1947) publishes TertiumTertium OrganumOrganum (1912).(1912).By the 1920s, a number of Russian writers By the 1920s, a number of Russian writers developed their own mystical ideas.developed their own mystical ideas.These Russian mystics emphasized the These Russian mystics emphasized the notion that the earth was a living being.notion that the earth was a living being.They also maintained that the earth (and They also maintained that the earth (and every particle that exists) is conscious.every particle that exists) is conscious.

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Aldo Leopold (1887 Aldo Leopold (1887 –– 1948)1948)In his 1923 paper In his 1923 paper ““Some Some Fundamentals of Conservation in the Fundamentals of Conservation in the Southwest,Southwest,”” Leopold makes explicit Leopold makes explicit reference to reference to OuspenskyOuspensky’’ss ideas.ideas.

Leopold rejects Leopold rejects ““dead earthdead earth”” theories.theories.He endorses viewing the earth (and its various He endorses viewing the earth (and its various biotic communities) as complex systems much biotic communities) as complex systems much like an organism.like an organism.Later, in Later, in ASCAASCA, Leopold relies more , Leopold relies more onon the the community conceptcommunity concept more than the more than the ““earthearth--asas--organismorganism”” idea (though he still includes idea (though he still includes numerous organism references).numerous organism references).

““Possibly, in our intuitive perceptions, Possibly, in our intuitive perceptions, which may be truer than our science and which may be truer than our science and less impeded by words than our less impeded by words than our philosophies, we realize the indivisibility of philosophies, we realize the indivisibility of the earththe earth——its soil, mountains, rivers, its soil, mountains, rivers, forests, climate, plants, and animals, and forests, climate, plants, and animals, and respect it collectively not only as a useful respect it collectively not only as a useful servant but as a living being, vastly less servant but as a living being, vastly less alive than ourselves in degree, but vastly alive than ourselves in degree, but vastly greater than ourselves in time and greater than ourselves in time and spacespace——a being that was old when the a being that was old when the morning starts sang together, and, when morning starts sang together, and, when the last of us has been gathered unto his the last of us has been gathered unto his fathers, will still be young.fathers, will still be young.”” (Leopold, (Leopold, FundamentalsFundamentals……, p. 95), p. 95)

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““Philosophy, then, suggests one Philosophy, then, suggests one reason why we can not destroy reason why we can not destroy the earth with moral impunity; the earth with moral impunity; namely, that the namely, that the ‘‘deaddead’’ earth is earth is an organism possessing a certain an organism possessing a certain kind and degree of life, which we kind and degree of life, which we intuitively respect as such.intuitively respect as such.””(Leopold, Fundamentals(Leopold, Fundamentals……, p. 95), p. 95)

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James Lovelock:James Lovelock:The Gaia HypothesisThe Gaia Hypothesis

Lovelock is an Lovelock is an atmospheric chemist atmospheric chemist who worked for NASA who worked for NASA and JPL.and JPL.

From atmospheric studies alone, he was From atmospheric studies alone, he was able to predict that Mars was lifeless.able to predict that Mars was lifeless.His studies of whole planetary systems His studies of whole planetary systems resulted in The Gaia Hypothesis, which resulted in The Gaia Hypothesis, which states that:states that:the Earth is a complex, selfthe Earth is a complex, self--regulating regulating system, and that living things carry out this system, and that living things carry out this regulation.regulation.

The Gaia HypothesisThe Gaia Hypothesis……3 sources of evidence:3 sources of evidence:•• Atmospheric Atmospheric \\ Chemical ConditionsChemical Conditions•• Temperature RegulationTemperature Regulation•• Planetary Systems (Biosphere)Planetary Systems (Biosphere)

2 basic formulations:2 basic formulations:•• The Earth (Gaia) The Earth (Gaia) ISIS a living being.a living being.•• The Earth (Gaia) is The Earth (Gaia) is LIKELIKE a living being.a living being.

1 powerful new way of conceptualizing 1 powerful new way of conceptualizing the Earth and living systems:the Earth and living systems:•• holismholism

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1.1. Greek Mythology (Gaia as Earth Goddess)Greek Mythology (Gaia as Earth Goddess)2.2. Plato (Earth as living organism with soul)Plato (Earth as living organism with soul)3.3. Descartes & Newton (Earth as Mechanism)Descartes & Newton (Earth as Mechanism)4.4. Russian Mystics (Earth as Consciousness)Russian Mystics (Earth as Consciousness)

•• LeopoldLeopold’’s rejection of s rejection of ““dead earthdead earth”” theoriestheories

5.5. LovelockLovelock’’s Gaia Hypothesis (Earth as Selfs Gaia Hypothesis (Earth as Self--Regulating System)Regulating System)•• Scientific HolismScientific Holism

In Part II, I will make a few remarks In Part II, I will make a few remarks about the relationship between ethics about the relationship between ethics and science, especially holistic science.and science, especially holistic science.

part i: brief overview of gaia - university of wisconsin gaia...as a student of g. i. gurdjieff...

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