http://www.answers.com/Gaia%20Theory

Has anyone else heard of this theory?

What do you think about it?

__________________
Deutschland Das Nationalbewusstsein!

55th Stanza.
Wise in measure should each man be;
but let him not wax too wise;
seldom a heart will sing with joy
if the owner be all too wise.

Havamal~

Today we drink tomorrow we die.

Be weary of the machine so you don't become one yourself.

Yes. I've heard James Lovelock give a lecture on it and read a little.

I'm sceptical. It is certainly a very interestng thought, and has some scientific plausibility, but I'm far from convinced.

__________________
-Scott

It is undesirable to believe a proposition when there is no ground whatever for supposing it true. -- Bertrand Russell

They should do more work on it I think. I have read very little on it because noone wants to seem to take up his work.

I think it is a great idea concerning our world and also could highten the awareness globally for a more safe enviromental way of living.

__________________
Deutschland Das Nationalbewusstsein!

55th Stanza.
Wise in measure should each man be;
but let him not wax too wise;
seldom a heart will sing with joy
if the owner be all too wise.

Havamal~

Today we drink tomorrow we die.

Be weary of the machine so you don't become one yourself.

I have, in fact. The math that is used is very sound, and there is substantial observational data that supports it. There are a couple problems, though. Some of that observational data could also support something very different. Also, though many of the mathematical equations that are used are fairly easy to understand (if you are like me and enjoy Intragal Calculus), BUT they make some suppositions that are not necessarily well founded or solid. Think of it this way; one reason that the theory of relativity is still just a theory, is because there are a few obvious flaws. For instance, the speed of light is not a constant; it depends on what the light is moving through, etc. Still, the theory works and does explain many things that we see. Now, suppose someone comes up with a mathematical model based mostly on relativity, and another person builds another model that is based on that one, etc. This means that every subsequent theory is based on a theory that as currently stated, contains flaws, so every one of them has inherent flaws.

Even for a theory I hope to see a continuation of work and study on this issue.

I find it completely interesting.

I wonder who are the leading reasearchers in this field today.

__________________
Deutschland Das Nationalbewusstsein!

55th Stanza.
Wise in measure should each man be;
but let him not wax too wise;
seldom a heart will sing with joy
if the owner be all too wise.

Havamal~

Today we drink tomorrow we die.

Be weary of the machine so you don't become one yourself.

Haha I put the String theory link in the Gaia theory thread.

Is this post pertaining to the string theory? It sounds like it.

Here is the Gaia link:

http://www.answers.com/Gaia%20Theory



The string theory thread is here:

String Theory

Sorry I was tired last night when making both of the threads and so I got confused.

__________________
Deutschland Das Nationalbewusstsein!

55th Stanza.
Wise in measure should each man be;
but let him not wax too wise;
seldom a heart will sing with joy
if the owner be all too wise.

Havamal~

Today we drink tomorrow we die.

Be weary of the machine so you don't become one yourself.

Not a problem, I just responded to the content rather than the title. And incidentally, I agree that there should be more research...it is promising, and no telling where it will go. Currently I don't believe that there is any one scientist who is excelling in the theory, like Dr. Hawking is with Black Hole theory and research, but sometimes it is better to have a large team who are all knowledgeable and good, than to have a few outstanding scientists doing the research. One thing that has already come from string theory is an idea (supported by Einstein's equations) that there could be countless dimensions, which leads to the staggering thought that it is possible that everything that could have been did happen in one of those other dimensions; in this one, Hitler lost, and in another, he won, etc. VERY hard to grasp, that.

In regard to the Gaia theory, I personally don't think that Dr. Lovelock was all that far off, though I do think that the theory needs a few tweeks and refinements. It not only explains a lot of observational data, but it even holds very much in line with quite a few Earth based belief systems, such as American Indian belief. I firmly believe that there is so much more to the Earth and everything on it than we know, that we have just barely begun to scratch the surface, using a tired cliche. Every time man tries to simplify it, it turns out even more complex than what he started out with.

It is also one reason that I don't believe in man-caused global warming. There just isn't anywhere near enough data to say that man is causing global climate changes...we just don't know enough. (He DOES polute, but that is a different matter.) There are cycles in place that we haven't begun to know, and that so far have just been hinted at, because of the length of time involved.

I do note that Lovelock spoke of Earth "functioning" as a single organism, *not* that it had consciousness. Whether it actually as consciousness or not is something that can be debated for a long time...some people say yes, some say no, and both are armed with equivalent amounts of data. (Almost all raw data can be used to support many different theories or thoughts, even those that are diametrically opposed.)