39
Lovelock (1987) considers humanity as part
of Gaia. A complete chapter is devoted to analyse
the relationship between Gaia and humans drawing the following conclusions. (Notes of the
authors of the present book are in brackets.)
• Ancient people lived in complete harmony
with the rest of Gaia. (That is until humans
organized communities and started to produce
and build buildings no changes were caused in
the biosphere. This, however, does not completely correspond to the facts because hunting, for example, significantly reduced the
number of populations of large animals in certain areas and even caused the extinction of
several species.)
• As a consequence of the first industrial revolution humanity messes up his/her own nest.
Humanity, however, considers even intensifying pollution no harm to the biosphere. (The
quality and quantity of pollutants greatly
influence their dangerous character therefore
the opinion of Lovelock could have been
nuanced.)
• The evidence according to which the industrial activity would endanger the existence of
Gaia as a whole is weak.
• The majority of the self-controlling activity of
Gaia is performed by microorganisms.
Therefore humanity has to be careful with the
aerobic destructive living beings of the soil and
seafloor and also with the extensive anaerobic
microflora of continental shelves and wet areas.
• Continental shelf areas could be essential in
regulating the oxygen-carbon cycle as well.
Absorption of carbon in the mud of the seafloor
enables net oxygen increase in the atmosphere.
It seems foolishness to disturb these fields.
• Feeding eight billion people without seriously
harming the biosphere is a more urgent issue
than industrial pollution. (Ten billion people
have to be calculated in the long term.)
• Higher level of technology not necessarily
consumes more energy than simpler technology. (That is, its environmental impact may
not be greater. The development of technology
justifies Lovelock’s statement.)
• The uncertainties regarding the future of our
planet and the consequences of pollution discussed by Lovelock originate mostly from
ignoring the planetary control system.
• In the “central” areas of Gaia (between latitudes 45° N and 45° S) inappropriate cultivation (intensifying erosion and carbon loss in
soils) disturbs the atmosphere in the whole
planet that is comparable to the industrial
activity of towns.
• Burning bushes and forests and annual grass
burning release not only carbon dioxide but
also a series of organic matter and a mass of
floating particles into the atmosphere. Most
chlorine in the atmosphere is composed of
methyl-chloride gas, a direct product of tropical agriculture.
• Primary dangers for our planet are presented
by anthropogenic activities in tropical areas in
dry land areas and also in nearshore areas of
the ocean.
• The optimal number of humans is not the
same as the bearing capacity of the Earth.
(This view is shared by many scientists stating
that of every people lived at the standard of
developed countries Earth would be long
overpopulated.)
A clear positive feature of the Gaia hypothesis
is the fact that it treats humanity as a biological
species as part of the system, however, the authors
consider the approach that humanity, biological
beings and the society together with its built environment, deliberately organised and controlled
system are not separated from each other not correct. In our opinion the human society represents a
different quality compared to insect societies or
other societies found among animals therefore it
should be treated as a separate subsystem of the
Earth. (Specifics of the human society will be discussed in Chaps. 5 and 6.) Humanity is part of the
biosphere as a biological being. Considering body
size, the number of individuals is very high.
Humans are vulnerable living creatures they
would not be able to survive without social products (cloths, buildings, produced food). As a social
being, however, humans are capable of adaptation:
able to survive even in extreme conditions with the
help of produced goods, machines and buildings.
Lovelock also focuses on the sensitive areas of
Gaia separately. Considering his statements, the
2.6 Earth Models, “World Models”
Lovelock (1987) considers humanity as part
of Gaia. A complete chapter is devoted to analyse
the relationship between Gaia and humans drawing the following conclusions. (Notes of the
authors of the present book are in brackets.)
• Ancient people lived in complete harmony
with the rest of Gaia. (That is until humans
organized communities and started to produce
and build buildings no changes were caused in
the biosphere. This, however, does not completely correspond to the facts because hunting, for example, significantly reduced the
number of populations of large animals in certain areas and even caused the extinction of
several species.)
• As a consequence of the first industrial revolution humanity messes up his/her own nest.
Humanity, however, considers even intensifying pollution no harm to the biosphere. (The
quality and quantity of pollutants greatly
influence their dangerous character therefore
the opinion of Lovelock could have been
nuanced.)
• The evidence according to which the industrial activity would endanger the existence of
Gaia as a whole is weak.
• The majority of the self-controlling activity of
Gaia is performed by microorganisms.
Therefore humanity has to be careful with the
aerobic destructive living beings of the soil and
seafloor and also with the extensive anaerobic
microflora of continental shelves and wet areas.
• Continental shelf areas could be essential in
regulating the oxygen-carbon cycle as well.
Absorption of carbon in the mud of the seafloor
enables net oxygen increase in the atmosphere.
It seems foolishness to disturb these fields.
• Feeding eight billion people without seriously
harming the biosphere is a more urgent issue
than industrial pollution. (Ten billion people
have to be calculated in the long term.)
• Higher level of technology not necessarily
consumes more energy than simpler technology. (That is, its environmental impact may
not be greater. The development of technology
justifies Lovelock’s statement.)
• The uncertainties regarding the future of our
planet and the consequences of pollution discussed by Lovelock originate mostly from
ignoring the planetary control system.
• In the “central” areas of Gaia (between latitudes 45° N and 45° S) inappropriate cultivation (intensifying erosion and carbon loss in
soils) disturbs the atmosphere in the whole
planet that is comparable to the industrial
activity of towns.
• Burning bushes and forests and annual grass
burning release not only carbon dioxide but
also a series of organic matter and a mass of
floating particles into the atmosphere. Most
chlorine in the atmosphere is composed of
methyl-chloride gas, a direct product of tropical agriculture.
• Primary dangers for our planet are presented
by anthropogenic activities in tropical areas in
dry land areas and also in nearshore areas of
the ocean.
• The optimal number of humans is not the
same as the bearing capacity of the Earth.
(This view is shared by many scientists stating
that of every people lived at the standard of
developed countries Earth would be long
overpopulated.)
A clear positive feature of the Gaia hypothesis
is the fact that it treats humanity as a biological
species as part of the system, however, the authors
consider the approach that humanity, biological
beings and the society together with its built environment, deliberately organised and controlled
system are not separated from each other not correct. In our opinion the human society represents a
different quality compared to insect societies or
other societies found among animals therefore it
should be treated as a separate subsystem of the
Earth. (Specifics of the human society will be discussed in Chaps. 5 and 6.) Humanity is part of the
biosphere as a biological being. Considering body
size, the number of individuals is very high.
Humans are vulnerable living creatures they
would not be able to survive without social products (cloths, buildings, produced food). As a social
being, however, humans are capable of adaptation:
able to survive even in extreme conditions with the
help of produced goods, machines and buildings.
Lovelock also focuses on the sensitive areas of
Gaia separately. Considering his statements, the
2.6 Earth Models, “World Models”