Conceptually oblique ecological theory (Full Version)

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Termyn8or -> Conceptually oblique ecological theory (3/10/2011 12:24:31 AM)

I just got out of a discussion about volcanos and stuff. (no weed comments please) We agree on some things, but he has a different angle. He seems to see the planet as a life form. First of all we agree that Man's impact on the entirety of the ecosystem is probably neglible. But that's not the point. Can the Earth be considered alive ?

Thinking about the volcanos now, where do they happen ? No matter how technical you get, the short answer is in the weak spots on the crust. When a volcano forms, it might get big, what determines how big ? Perhaps the bigger the problem, the bigger response. Response ? Can this be equated in some rudimentary way with a life form ?

We didn't get into the postulaion that then, maybe we are actually parasites, but even if we are we should strive to be the best parasites we can be. Good ammo for treehuggers : "Well then we shouldn't kill the host". Good ammo for the oilpumpers : "We are part of the environment, everything comes from the Earth, this comes from the Earth too". [N]either side is right on most issues, [not] completely. (<looks at that funny)

But can the Earth be considered a living thing ? If it is and we treat it as such, just how well do we want to treat it ? Are we going to handle it with kid gloves or have a bit of confidence in it. Him or her ? Who cares, living or not. If you think of it as living then you think of it as alive. I had never considered it that way until today.

Barring modern marvels, usually that which does not kill us makes us stronger. Can we actually have the role of the antagonist ? The trainer, the DI, the Dojo ? For example this problem in the gulf. Who knows what might happen in fifty years. Maybe nothing maybe something, but then the question is did we cause it ? And what will be the response ?

He thinks he's right, that the Earth is a form of life. I really can't quite find a place from which to argue against it. That bodies of water and land mass, the atmosphere and the rivers and lakes - that they are like the organs of a body.

This is not some treehugging bull. This is a different perspective than I've considered. This is way more than that, and then might it follow that the universe is the Earth's "world: ?

He said " Why don't they think that way ? ", and I responded " It's not in the book ".

If we take the perspective that the Earth is alive, this is a bit more than crop rotation, but in no way do I say we should start worshipping some stone goat in Bumfukteria somewhere. I mean the method of thought.

T^T




LillyBoPeep -> RE: Conceptually oblique ecological theory (3/10/2011 1:18:26 PM)

that's basically the Gaia hypothesis -- it's been around since the 60s. 




Delilya -> RE: Conceptually oblique ecological theory (3/10/2011 2:15:43 PM)

I am an old tree-hugging hippie, so that sums up where I stand. I do believe that Mother Earth is alive and that it is our duty to protect Her. That doesn't mean I don't believe we shouldn't use Her resources, simply that we should be diligent in doing so.




Termyn8or -> RE: Conceptually oblique ecological theory (3/10/2011 2:32:41 PM)

Ha, so have we :-)

But in this case, I wasn't exposed to it back then. I take a scientific approach to things, so this is nothing like a diety or any of that. Life forms have certain characteristics, does this planet qualify ? I would say the moon doesn't, because it realy doesn't have all the components to qualify. The other planets in the solar system, well I don't know. Maybe some could be considered alive even though they don't support "papasites" like us. Human or humanoid type life would not be the foremost criterium, except to those who hold what I would call a " humanocentric ? " prespective. Meaning that humans tend to think the universe revolves around them.

T^T




LillyBoPeep -> RE: Conceptually oblique ecological theory (3/10/2011 2:42:28 PM)

go google "gaia hypothesis" -- it has nothing to do with deities, other than the name. 




rick1283 -> RE: Conceptually oblique ecological theory (3/10/2011 4:04:11 PM)

Of course the Earth is a living thing! And probably female, every now and then, she finds it useful to give all of us the cold shoulder, but she is usually quite warm and accommodating [;)]
Heck, there are times I think she even has power over what goes on at the surface, ranging from evolution to climate.
And what are humans here for? Plastic! She wanted plastic and we gave it to her [:D]
Now she is slowly killing us off with AIDS and super-bugs. We have done our job and its time for the next big thing

(And JUST so there is no confusion, that whole post is not to be taken seriously.)




IrishMist -> RE: Conceptually oblique ecological theory (3/10/2011 4:34:41 PM)

Term...between you and the Brat, I have a headache [&:]




Termyn8or -> RE: Conceptually oblique ecological theory (3/10/2011 4:45:44 PM)

Y'know I can cure that headache without aspirin.

T^T




IrishMist -> RE: Conceptually oblique ecological theory (3/10/2011 6:07:34 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Termyn8or

Y'know I can cure that headache without aspirin.

T^T

[:D]

Bring it on lol [;)]




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