The Earth is quite literally a living organism. Where we choose to divide things up in terms of what constitutes one or multiple organisms is largely a matter of convention and semantics. A hive of bees entirely interdependent and working in shared algorithms as a single entity or an octopus with a cognitive nervous system in each tentacle — where does one “draw the boundary”.

The Gaia hypothesis was formulated by the chemist James Lovelock and co-developed by the microbiologist Lynn Margulis in the 1970s. In this case, the Gaia hypothesis proposes that all organisms and their inorganic surroundings form a single self-regulating system that maintains conditions for life far from thermodynamic equilibrium. Just like the human body regulates temperature, salinity, hydration, oxygen balance, and a myriad of other factors, the Earth regulates temperature, salinity, oxygen balance, etc. in a state of homeostasis.

Viewed in this light, the Earth seems to act as a single, living, self-preserving being.

Keywords & Nodes

• epistemology and ontology
• perspective
• ecology
• reality
• For deep understanding look for universal patterns.
• Lack of connection to the natural world may contribute to a lack of happiness.
• The biopsychosocial model explains that biological, psychological, and social factors explain one’s health (and happiness). Maybe we should extend it.