RD-701
03-15-2012, 06:09 AM
I have a hypothesis; perhaps that's too strong a word. Perhaps it is better called a mere 'idea'.
It stems in part from the Gaia Hypothesis- which ranges from views in that a global biosphere is self-regulating though various feedback loops, to views in which the biota of Earth actively create better conditions for themselves.
It is not too far a step to posit that Earth's biosphere is a sort of superorganism made up of many smaller organisms, just as a multicellular organism (such as a tree or human) is made up of many small cells, or as eukaryotic cells are though to have evolved by cooperation between non-eukaryotic cells.
It has what one might consider the three defining factors of life;
- It has a metabolism, utilising energy to perform work and maintain itself. In this case most of the energy comes from the Sun, but some organisms utilise geothermal energy or chemical energy locked away in rocks.
- It is contained, roughly, within Earth's lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere, or the boundaries between them.
- It can reproduce, at least hypothetically, by the evolution of sapient organisms which can then populate faraway desolate planets with its life.
Such an organism need not be sapient or sentient, after all many organisms do not possess these qualities, even though they can (like Earth's biosphere) respond to stimuli. However, increasingly intelligent organisms exist on Earth, and interact with eachother. This can perhaps be regarded to create a greater gestalt 'mind'- albeit one that is aimless, thoughtless.
However, among these intelligent organisms are humans, which are sapient, and can make decisions both as individuals and as a community.
Humans are interconnected locally by their ability to meet up and communicate, but also globally originally by the physical transport of written materials, then by telecommunications, and now by the vivid and powerful medium of the internet.
Humans have an increasingly powerful knowledge of how Earth's biosphere works, from its tiniest biochemical foundations, to its ecosystems and food webs, to how it interacts with itself on a global scale.
Our population is considerably large, and our technology powerful- we can affect the Earth heavily. We can completely change ecosystems and even shift the global climate. Currently, we do neither to the benefit of Earth's greater biodiversity. But we could. We could cultivate coral reefs and forests like we have farmed our food; we can save animals from extinction just as we could carelessly tax them out of an ecosystem. We can defend Earth from 'viruses' and physical threats that could cause mass extinctions.
Of course, most of the things humans do currently do not affect the Earth positively (unless you're talking about humans and associated organisms alone, in which case... not always, either). But a mind is not always a healthy thing- it can be disturbed, depressed. It can be suicidal. But it can also be healthy... and can be immensely powerful.
What do you think?
It stems in part from the Gaia Hypothesis- which ranges from views in that a global biosphere is self-regulating though various feedback loops, to views in which the biota of Earth actively create better conditions for themselves.
It is not too far a step to posit that Earth's biosphere is a sort of superorganism made up of many smaller organisms, just as a multicellular organism (such as a tree or human) is made up of many small cells, or as eukaryotic cells are though to have evolved by cooperation between non-eukaryotic cells.
It has what one might consider the three defining factors of life;
- It has a metabolism, utilising energy to perform work and maintain itself. In this case most of the energy comes from the Sun, but some organisms utilise geothermal energy or chemical energy locked away in rocks.
- It is contained, roughly, within Earth's lithosphere, hydrosphere, and atmosphere, or the boundaries between them.
- It can reproduce, at least hypothetically, by the evolution of sapient organisms which can then populate faraway desolate planets with its life.
Such an organism need not be sapient or sentient, after all many organisms do not possess these qualities, even though they can (like Earth's biosphere) respond to stimuli. However, increasingly intelligent organisms exist on Earth, and interact with eachother. This can perhaps be regarded to create a greater gestalt 'mind'- albeit one that is aimless, thoughtless.
However, among these intelligent organisms are humans, which are sapient, and can make decisions both as individuals and as a community.
Humans are interconnected locally by their ability to meet up and communicate, but also globally originally by the physical transport of written materials, then by telecommunications, and now by the vivid and powerful medium of the internet.
Humans have an increasingly powerful knowledge of how Earth's biosphere works, from its tiniest biochemical foundations, to its ecosystems and food webs, to how it interacts with itself on a global scale.
Our population is considerably large, and our technology powerful- we can affect the Earth heavily. We can completely change ecosystems and even shift the global climate. Currently, we do neither to the benefit of Earth's greater biodiversity. But we could. We could cultivate coral reefs and forests like we have farmed our food; we can save animals from extinction just as we could carelessly tax them out of an ecosystem. We can defend Earth from 'viruses' and physical threats that could cause mass extinctions.
Of course, most of the things humans do currently do not affect the Earth positively (unless you're talking about humans and associated organisms alone, in which case... not always, either). But a mind is not always a healthy thing- it can be disturbed, depressed. It can be suicidal. But it can also be healthy... and can be immensely powerful.
What do you think?