it would be similar to a blob. The living organisms are the Earth's senses as they react to the problems and successes of the water, atmosphere, and land. A human's senses react to the problems and successes in life. The human senses also react to the physical effects of life not only the emotional. The Gaia Hypothesis is similar to a thermostat, like the thermostats that are within a human or a household. In a household, we set the thermostat at a comfortable temperature. For our bodies it is 98 degrees, for our house it might be 78 degrees. When the temperature deviates, the heating or cooling system takes over and adjusts the temperature. For our body it is sweating or shivering to raise or lower the temperature as needed. For our house it would be the air conditioning or the furnace to raise or lower the temperature as needed. (University, p.1). If Gaia is indeed a living organism, then it should have the ability to reproduce. This doesn't seem true unless one assumes that human beings are the Earth's reproductive function. Where humans will strive to colonize other planets and in doing so will jumpstart that planet into life. If we are the reproduction of Gaia, then will be able to take our knowledge and create or preserve life on other planets. We should be able to make them habitable when they are not. Another function of man is not only to create, but to destruct. It is seen that "Earth is a single living organism with a will to live." (p.2). There are two different ways to look at environmental destruction. The first way is by polluting and destroying forests we are similar to a virus. In being similar to a virus, Gaia produces antibodies. Gaia will protect her body "Earth" as any human would protect theirs with antibodies. "Gaia will find a way to counteract our detrimental effects in order to protect her precious planet." (p.2). Philosophical reasoning incorporates the metaphor in conjunction with re...
