Gaia and Philosophy brings together Lynn Margulis's co-developed Gaia theory and its deep philosophical lineage, arguing that Earth is a self-regulating living system whose implications reach far beyond biology into ecology, mythology, and the future of life itself.
About This Book
Developed in the 1970s by microbiologist Lynn Margulis and atmospheric chemist James Lovelock, the Gaia theory holds that Earth is not merely a backdrop for life but a self-regulating complex system shaped by it. This compact but dense text fuses science, mathematics, philosophy, ecology, and mythology to mount a challenge against Western anthropocentrism. With a new introduction by Dorion Sagan, this second edition reframes Gaia not as metaphor but as a rigorous scientific and philosophical paradigm — one that resonates with ancient understandings of symbiosis and interconnection. Essential reading for anyone reckoning with the planetary scale of ecological thinking.
Key Features
- 64 pages of interdisciplinary argument spanning science, philosophy, ecology, and mythology
- New introduction by Dorion Sagan
- Published by Ignota, ISBN: 9781739371760
What You'll Discover
- How the Gaia theory frames Earth as a living, self-regulating system in which life actively engineers its own environment over planetary timescales
- The philosophical and magico-religious precedents for Gaia thinking, tracing the idea that all is interconnected across millennia of natural science and cosmology
- A direct critique of Western anthropocentrism and the case for a symbiotic model of planetary life
- Why the Gaia paradigm carries implications not only for understanding Earth's past but for shaping the conditions of life's future
About the Author
Lynn Margulis was a microbiologist best known for co-developing the Gaia theory alongside atmospheric chemist James Lovelock in the 1970s. Her work fundamentally repositioned the relationship between life and environment, arguing that living organisms do not merely adapt to their surroundings but actively transform them on a planetary scale.
Specifications
- Format: Paperback
- Pages: 64
- Dimensions: 110 x 160 mm
- Language: English
- ISBN: 9781739371760
- Publisher: Ignota
- Publication Date: [Details available upon request]
Perfect For: Architects, designers, and academics engaged with ecological thinking, environmental philosophy, and the theoretical frameworks shaping how we understand the living planet.