Blog #8

Part III of The Green Halo begins with the GAIA hypothesis.  The GAIA hypothesis was proposed by James Lovelock which is stated as "a model of the biosphere as a (super)organism, capable of complex organic response in maintaining an internal environment for it own life."  Other environmentalist interpreted this concept in a different way.  Their view on the GAIA hypothesis was not based on the totality of life, but as a person, a Mother Earth who cares for her children, animals, and all the members of the biotic community. 

After reading some of the blogs, I have to say that I agree with Alice in the fact that Lovelock does not seem to directly point the blame at humans. This is the first time throughout the whole book that I did not sense the humans being the main cause.  Kohak makes it clear that humankind pollutes, destroys ecosystems, destroys the natural varitey of life needed for dynamic eqilibirum. There is a question that arises about the possibility of human activity limiting the possibilities of systemic fucntioning so that the earth would lose its homeostaic abilities and would be unable to assure its own equilibrium.  To be honest, I do not think this is possible.  Although all the events about are taking place, there is ALWAYS something else becoming bigger and better.  As another philopospher states, "key species become extinct while new species become dominant. 

In the section on Nature and the Human Animal, Morris's thesis is referred to.  Morris basis of his thesis said that humans, belonging to the order of primates, bear in their genes a archaic primate genetic memory.  Morris gives two distinct components of our genetic memory in being wolf or primate.  The primate gentic memory tends to live in loosely associated bands in constant movement that do not gather for meals, but simply pluck fruit and nibble on the way.  The wolf genetic memory requires the men to hunt and the women to tend the home and take care of the children.  The family does sit down for feedings and the habitat needs to be clean.  Morris states that the  American society is torn between the primate and the wolf genetic memory.  I completely agree with this idea.  Americans are once again constantly on the move, where there is little time to actually sit down at meal time.