1. Culture, Biology, and Saving the Planet Wade B. Worthen Furman University

2. A Disclaimer: - the title….. The Earth is not at risk – it is 4.6 by old and will do fine for another 5 by. (“Saving the planet” was hyperbole.)

3. A Disclaimer: - the title….. However, the conditions on the Earth that make it a great place for humans to live ARE changing. (“Saving the ecological integrity of the planet to preserve human and non-human life” was too long.)

4. -How can we preserve the biological integrity of our home? How can we convince people that nature matters?

5. -data and charts?? -Yes, we need to measure stuff. But while this may change people’s minds, it may not change their hearts. (1999 temperature increase above century mean)

6. - In addition, we need to demonstrate how and why nature is important to each person, even at an unconscious level.

7. Overview of Our Lecture: I. Why is nature important to modern humans?

8. Overview of Our Lecture: I. Why is nature important to modern humans? A. What is Biophilia?

9. Overview of Our Lecture: I. Why is nature important to modern humans? A. What is Biophilia? B. Why is it relevant?

10. Overview of Our Lecture: I. Why is nature important to modern humans? A. What is Biophilia? B. Why is it relevant? C. What evidence exists of Biophilia?

11. Overview of Our Lecture: I. Why is nature important to modern humans? A. What is Biophilia? B. Why is it relevant? C. What evidence exists of Biophilia?

12. A. What is Biophilia? E. O. Wilson (1984) defined biophilia as “an innate tendency of humans to focus on life and lifelike processes…

13. A. What is Biophilia? - There are four elements: 1. Humans are interested in living things…

14. A. What is Biophilia? - There are four elements: 1. Humans are interested in living things… 2. There is an adaptive benefit to this interest that has been selected for over hominid evolution…

15. A. What is Biophilia? - There are four elements: 1. Humans are interested in living things… 2. There is an adaptive benefit to this interest that has been selected for over hominid evolution… 3. This relationship influences how we learn …

16. A. What is Biophilia? - There are four elements: 1. Humans are interested in living things… 2. There is an adaptive benefit to this interest that has been selected for over hominid evolution… 3. This relationship influences how we learn … 4. And who we are …

17. B. Why is biophilia relevant to modern humans? - three elements: 1. Pragmatic: it works – nature IS relevant, and its contribution to culture is interesting. Aztec God Quetzalcoatl, as an Ouroborus

18. B. Why is biophilia relevant to modern humans? - three elements: 1. Pragmatic: it works – nature IS relevant, and its contribution to culture is interesting. 2. Artistic: Because it may help us express our humanity more fully…

19. B. Why is biophilia relevant to modern humans? - three elements: 1. Pragmatic: it works – nature IS relevant, and its contribution to culture is interesting. 2. Artistic: Because it may help us express our humanity more fully… 3. Ecological: “…to the degree that we come to understand other organisms, we will place greater value on them, and on ourselves” (Wilson, 1984). To save biodiversity, we must appreciate its relevance to our mind and our cultures.

20. B. Why is biophilia relevant to modern humans? 1. Consider that the human mind and its products have not arisen in a vacuum.

21. NATURE AND EVOLUTION

22. 5.0 mya 1.75 mya tools art 0.2 mya burial 75,000 Understanding Human Evolution. 1999. Poirier and McKee agriculture 10,000 …to chimps 99.6% before art “Pre-cultural Baggage” B. Why is biophilia relevant to modern humans?

23. 2. As such, our interaction with art, society, and nature may have a biologically interesting contribution. (NOT single factor biological determinism, please!) Let’s examine the Evidence for Biophilia in our disciplines: Humanities Social Sciences Natural Sciences

24. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language A ‘first alphabet’ book….. ‘A’ is for _____________. ‘B’ is for _____________. ‘C’ is for _____________. ‘D’ is for _____________. ‘E’ is for _____________. ‘F’ is for _____________.

25. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language A ‘first alphabet’ book….. ‘A’ is for _____________. - antidisestablishmentarianism?

26. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language A ‘first alphabet’ book….. ‘A’ is for _____________. - antidisestablishmentarianism?

27. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language A ‘first alphabet’ book….. ‘A’ is for _____________. - Antidisestablishmentarianism? - Apple?

28. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language A ‘first alphabet’ book….. ‘A’ is for _____________. - Antidisestablishmentarianism? - Apple?- Airplane?

29. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language A ‘first alphabet’ book….. ‘B’ is for _____________. - Ball?

30. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language A ‘first alphabet’ book….. ‘B’ is for _____________. - Ball? - Bee?

31. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language A ‘first alphabet’ book….. ‘C’ is for _____________. - Cat?

32. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language A ‘first alphabet’ book….. ‘C’ is for _____________. - Cat?- Car?

33. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language A ‘first alphabet’ book….. ‘D’ is for _____________. - Dog?

34. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language A ‘first alphabet’ book….. ‘D’ is for _____________. - Dog?- Duck?

35. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language A ‘first alphabet’ book….. ‘E’ is for _____________. - Elephant?

36. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language A ‘first alphabet’ book….. ‘F’ is for _____________. - Fox?

37. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language A ‘first alphabet’ book….. ‘F’ is for _____________. - Fox?- Fish?

38. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language A ‘first alphabet’ book….. ‘A’ is for apple or airplane. ‘B’ is for ball, not bee (ambiguous?) ‘C’ is for cat or car. ‘D’ is for dog or duck. ‘E’ is for elephant. ‘F’ is for fox or fish.

39. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language A ‘first alphabet’ book….. ‘A’ is for apple or airplane. ‘B’ is for ball, not bee.Living or ‘C’ is for cat or car.“life-like” ‘D’ is for dog.Even if they are NOT ‘E’ is for elephant.commonly encountered - ‘F’ is for fox or fish. Why learn “elephant?”

40. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language Adjectives and similes….. Sly as _________

41. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language Adjectives and similes….. Sly as _________ an Enron executive?

42. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language Adjectives and similes….. Sly as _________ an Enron executive? a fox…

43. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Language Adjectives and similes….. busy as __________? Strong as ________ ? Weak as _________ ?

44. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities – Language Verbs: To ‘cow’To ‘quail’ To ‘clam up’To ‘weasel’ To ‘outfox’To ‘hound’ To ‘hog’To ‘grouse’ To ‘fawn’To ‘buffalo’

45. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities – Language Summary – “Human intelligence is bound to the presence of animals. They are the means by which cognition takes shape and they are the instruments for imagining abstract ideas and qualities…they are basic to the development of speech and thought.” -Shepard 1978 Trivial examples or basic, fundamental examples?

46. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Art -Language and the arts are dependent on natural imagery to evoke a particular emotion….. Autumn Landscape at Dusk – Vincent Van Gogh

47. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Art -… or misrepresents ‘a natural view’ to spur our attention… “Tete d’une femme Lisant” -Pablo Picasso

48. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Religion Animals are our cultural icons, we use them for tribal affiliation, both trivial…. NFL Football Team Mascots: Cardinals Falcons Ravens Bills PanthersBears Bengals Broncos Lions Colts Jaguars Dolphins Eagles Seahawks Rams 15 of 32 teams (not that it helps….)

49. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Religion And significant…

50. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Religion Animals are central to the myths that give our lives meaning and our culture context. In particular, the serpent figures prominently as an icon of power, knowledge, life, and death. Egyptians – the Earth as an Egg, grasped by a serpent

51. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Religion Middle East – Judaism – Eve and the serpent

52. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Religion Greeks – Gaia (Earth) was protected by her son, Python, who lived at the center of the world and held it together (image from Greek alchemist text, 15 th century)

53. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Religion Australian aboriginal culture – the rainbow serpent – art dates from 6000 years ago

54. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Religion Norse –dragons and Jormungand, the world serpent – (an ouroborus).

55. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities - Religion Aztecs – Quetzalcoatl, the ‘bird-serpent’ or “feathered serpent”

56. C. Evidence for Biophilia in the Humanities – Cultural Summary "Animals are far more fundamental to our thinking than we supposed. They are not just a part of the fabric of thought: they are a part of the loom." (Peter Steinhart, 1989). The loom from which we fashion our cultures… (Native American ouroboric image)

57. Navajo Dance Silver tip fox cape with foot clasp

58. C. Evidence of Biophilia in the Social Sciences - Psychology - phobias are usually related to natural environmental cues: (snakes, spiders, water, closed spaces, heights) (and other primates that encounter snakes are ophidophobes)

59. C. Evidence of Biophilia in the Social Sciences - Psychology - even though cultures have produced more deadly risks

60. C. Evidence of Biophilia in the Social Sciences - Sociology -habitat selection – humans with the resources build homes on promontories near water, with a view The Vanderbilt Estate, “The Breakers”, Newport, RI

61. C. Evidence of Biophilia in the Social Sciences - Sociology Societies construct gardens, parks, and green spaces in urban environments – like Central Park, NYC.

62. C. Evidence of Biophilia in the Social Sciences - Sociology We need nature, and we take it with us into man-made environments; it is a part of what we are, and it has shaped who we are and how we identify ourselves, individually and collectively. Rooftop Garden, Tokyo

63. C. Evidence of Biophilia in the Natural Sciences - Physiology - contact with people helps development and healing - contact with animals helps stress and healing, and gives us someone who depends upon us..

64. C. Evidence of Biophilia in the Natural Sciences - Physiology - vistas - people with a natural view are less stressed and are more productive. - inner city children with a view of a park are able to concentrate in school and are better learners.

65. What are the ramifications of biophilia? Humans need nature as a reference to completely express our humanity. It is at once the “other” and the “self”. To lose it, or to simplify it, will profoundly affect what we are.

66. The purpose of Biology 340: - To increase your appreciation for the value of the natural world; for both utilitarian and intrinsic reasons;

67. The purpose of Biology 340: - to appreciate the extraordinary diversity, complexity, beauty, and history of the natural world;

68. The purpose of Biology 340: - and now you understand HOW we are related to this diversity, and how we are still DEPENDENT UPON this diversity for sustaining a reasonable quality of life for ourselves and future generations.

69. “It is interesting to contemplate an entangled bank, clothed with many plants of many kinds…

70. “with birds singing on the bushes, with various insects flitting about, and with worms crawling through the damp earth…

71. “and to reflect that these elaborately constructed forms, so different from each other, and dependent on each other in so complex a manner….

72. “have all been produced by laws acting around us…There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or one….

73. “and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved.” Charles Darwin, 1859, “The Origin of Species”