1 Lec 15 POLS 384 Gaian Politics A time whose idea has come

2 Lec 15 POLS 384 Gaian Politics: Self to World u Gaia theory (James Lovelock, 1970) The presence of life on a planet alters the planet's geochemistry to favor the continuation of life. The presence of life on a planet alters the planet's geochemistry to favor the continuation of life. F Falsifiable scientific theory More radically, Earth can be seen as a complex, bounded, self-organizing, adaptive organism. More radically, Earth can be seen as a complex, bounded, self-organizing, adaptive organism. F Revival of ancient mythic image of Earth Mother u Gaia theory comes just as globalization and environmental destruction call us to a planetary perspective.

3 Lec 15 POLS 384 Gaia and Systems Theory u Holism, self-generativity, & networks u Living systems: self-generative entities composed of dynamic symbiotic networks u Human systems, like other living systems, are embedded in the Earth system. Contrary to liberal notions of independence Contrary to liberal notions of independence Global climate change as the great teacher of interdependence Global climate change as the great teacher of interdependence

4 Lec 15 POLS 384 Human systems & Gaia u For the first time in history, humanity is a geophysical force operating on a planetary scale. F Global climate change F Mass extinction of species F Unsustainable resource depletion F Exponential population growth u Human time vs. Gaian time scales u The big Q: Can we harmonize our human systems with Gaia? Can we harmonize our human systems with Gaia?

5 Lec 15 POLS 384 Human systems & Gaia u Human purpose in the Gaian system What is the purpose of current global human systems? What is the purpose of current global human systems? F Growth (?) u Cyclical processes in Gaia Gaia knows nothing of waste Gaia knows nothing of waste Industrial society & the “toilet assumption” Industrial society & the “toilet assumption” Environmentalism & the rise of “virtuous cycles” Environmentalism & the rise of “virtuous cycles”

6 Lec 15 POLS 384 Learning from Gaia: The Gift of Photosynthesis u Earth's first 'environmental crisis' 3.8 billion years ago Bacteria consumed CO2, the greenhouse blanket Bacteria consumed CO2, the greenhouse blanket u Photosynthesis: production of oxygen opened way for more complex organisms … which replenished the most important GHGs … which replenished the most important GHGs … and led to creation of ozone layer … and led to creation of ozone layer u People inducing a new kind of planetary crisis Can we trust the intelligence of the system? Can we find it within ourselves? Climate change as the greatest of teachers

7 Lec 15 POLS 384 Gaian Ethics & Politics u Precautionary principle u End of anthropocentrism u Sidestepping global justice? No: North-South equity as “geo-ecological realism” No: North-South equity as “geo-ecological realism” u Beyond sovereignty to symbiotic networks u Gaia & political imagination Humans not a blight upon the planet, but the means by which Gaia is growing into self-awareness. Humans not a blight upon the planet, but the means by which Gaia is growing into self-awareness. u What might be the purpose of human systems if they were to be compatible with Gaia?

8 Lec 15 POLS 384 Person/Planet Politics: Global Ecology and the Widening Circle of Care u Does consumption entail responsibility? u Does distance mitigate responsibility Ex: drowning child Ex: drowning child u Do global ecological problems call us to a greater maturity? u Self-realization as capacity to seek wider wholes u Global ecology expresses human desire/need for expanded conception of self

9 Lec 15 POLS 384 Culture as Story u Global ecological crisis as a crisis of meaning u As we see, so shall we act Foregrounding consciousness Foregrounding consciousness u Every culture has a cosmology What is ours? What is ours? F Secularism, the story of modernity Results: anthropocentric world, consumerism, North/South divide, divorce of science & religion Results: anthropocentric world, consumerism, North/South divide, divorce of science & religion

10 Lec 15 POLS 384 Addressing the Crisis of Meaning: Towards a Sustainable Story u Cosmology of interdependence Embedding ourselves in a participatory universe Embedding ourselves in a participatory universe Revisioning our material relations Revisioning our material relations F … with distant peoples F … with future generations F … with the other-than-human u Embracing “nature” as gift, not resource Solar generosity Solar generosity u Redefining progress, success, ourselves… Ecological self Ecological self Ecological citizenship Ecological citizenship