Thoughts on Gaia Theory and the film Avatar

The Undecided

The Undecided

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I watched Avatar last night and I was impressed with the way the ideas surrounding the theory of Gaia were weaved into a mainstream film, and console game. However I haven’t played the game yet, not having the right console to play it on. Lately I have been struck by the idea that the earth is a self sustaining organism and that all living things on the planet have their vital place and purpose. This leads me to the idea that the earth was not made for mankind, mankind was made for the earth, via evolution. Also that all living things have an equal share in what the earth has to offer, as well as equal responsibility for it’s safety and health. I believe that our viewpoint that the world was created for our use and consumption is a fallacy and I prefer ideas like that of the theory of Gaia. This does not mean, however, that I am denying that God exists. Rather I am saying that if a higher power created us he/she created the universe first and then the earth and it’s inhabitants evolved over time. This could have been God’s plan all along. The earth and the universe a very old to say the least and mankind is only a recent addition to the beauty and variety of that which we call nature. I’m not sure what I am trying to say, I guess I was inspired by watching Avatar to say something about Gaia and see what others think about it.

TU:D
 
The Undecided said:
I watched the programme you are referring to. It is the first time I have fully understood the Theory Of Gaia. Especially the explanation of 'Daisyworld.'


TU:D
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I like the Gaia Concept because it makes sense. It is no so much that any single organism has a purpose anymore than one skin cell has a purpose for me. After life started, the Gaia principle showed how anaerobic bacteria survived well in a methane and CO2 atmosphere. Then a catastrophe happened. Some cells started making Oxygen as a metabolic waste product.

Then the orange sky slowly turned blue. Many cells in the oceans were selected out for survival by not being poisoned by O2. In fact, some actually used O2 for burning its fuel in the mitochondria. Earth's Gaia ecosystem rebounded from the loss of the Methane-CO2 atmosphere. The Oxygen producing cells and oxygen using cells went on to diversify to all local environments.

Development of Multicellular organisms occurred in the Ediacaran Period. Multicellularity facilitated greater diversity to millions of niches. All were ultimately interdependent. Then the Cambrian Extinction occurred, and the few remaining organisms diversified by natural selection to fell all of the old niches. This happened repeatedly, in the Permian, Triassic, Late Jurassic, and end Cretaceous with the Gaia principle proving itself again. Some of this fits with Chaos Theory in such a complex ecosystem.

Human evolution from its quadruped ape ancestor living in trees was subjected to the Ice Ages. Climate changed from wet to dry, warm to cool, severe volcanism, and plate tectonics produced ecological changes (grass replacing forest, and desert replacing grass.) Among the Apes, many did not survive. Yet conditions continued to favour bipedalism. Open grasslands and desert favoured increasing intelligence in early humans who physically are weak, unarmoured, and lacking in fangs and claws.

After Mount Toba erupted and exterminated 95% of the world's hominids leaving a small band of H. sapiens with bigger brains, survived 70,000 million BC, and crossed into Asia and later Europe.

Gaia means that Chaos theory allows channels for life to continue on Earth. Life on Earth determines the Earth's climate, atmosphere, and quality of ocean waters. Tilts in Earth Axis, continental drift, tectonic volcanism, and magma hot spots all challenge life, but there are always paths to survival because Earth is Life. Like a giant organism, it has the equivalent of immune system, healing mechanisms, etc. to restore a Gaia ecosystem with corrective changes.

Amergin
 
The Gaia Principle makes sense especially compared to the irrational, immoral, and magical faerie tale bollocks promoted by the Anthropomorphic God Religions (Abrahamic ones are the most insane and childish, perhaps because they were meant to scare children than reveal truth.) They were used for control of people not education of people.

Amergin
 
The Undecided said:
I am saying that if a higher power created us he/she created the universe first and then the earth and it’s inhabitants evolved over time. This could have been God’s plan all along.
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As I've said before I enjoyed the heck out of Avatar...

And as the earth being one organism....in my mind it goes a step further...the multiverse is one organism....the earth maybe an ittybitty biosphere...ecosystem...whatever....but as I've proposed UNeyeR1....that includes et al.

Disincludes nothing and no one. I believe in the non theistic G!d....we are all enbedded and included...no higher power outside creator being, but we are part and parcel of it all.

Some great contemplations here...
 
wil said:
As I've said before I enjoyed the heck out of Avatar...

And as the earth being one organism....in my mind it goes a step further...the multiverse is one organism....the earth maybe an ittybitty biosphere...ecosystem...whatever....but as I've proposed UNeyeR1....that includes et al.

Disincludes nothing and no one. I believe in the non theistic G!d....we are all enbedded and included...no higher power outside creator being, but we are part and parcel of it all.

Some great contemplations here...
Click to expand...

This forum has some clear thinkers. My wife and I though it was and will be a Classic Movie. We loved it.

Amergin
 
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