Has anyone heard of Gaia?

Question

Is Gaia to be worshipped as a distinct individual or is she a concept to meditate on, to become one with?

Answer 1

Gaia, greek mythology. Also, Gaia effect; a scientific hypothesis, that the Earth maintains a nearly constant temperature over millions of years that is condusive to life. The Earth has maintained a temperature range, despite the steady loss of solar radiation, over a long period of time. It is thought to be connected with the bio-mass, and works with CO 2, like a thermostat. Global warming may be a Gaia effect.

Is the thin layer of biology on the Earth's surface a living organism?

Answer 2

A scientist named James Lovelock hypothesized that the living matter of the planet functioned like a single organism and named this self-regulating living system after the Greek goddess Gaia, using a suggestion from the novelist William Golding.

The original Gaia hypothesis has split into a spectrum of hypotheses, ranging from the undeniable (Weak Gaia) to the radical (Strong Gaia).
At one end of this spectrum is the undeniable statement that the organisms on the Earth have radically altered its composition. A stronger position is that the Earth's biosphere effectively acts as if it is a self-organizing system, which works in such a way as to keep its systems in some kind of meta-equilibrium that is broadly conducive to life. The history of evolution, ecology and climate show that the exact characteristics of this equilibrium intermittently have undergone rapid changes, which are believed to have caused extinctions and felled civilizations (see climate change).
Biologists and earth scientists usually view the factors that stabilize the characteristics of a period as an undirected emergent property or entelechy of the system; as each individual species pursues its own self-interest, for example, their combined actions tend to have counterbalancing effects on environmental change. Opponents of this view sometimes point to examples of life's actions that have resulted in dramatic change rather than stable equilibrium, such as the conversion of the Earth's atmosphere from a reducing environment to an oxygen-rich one. However, proponents will point out that those atmospheric composition changes created an environment even more suitable to life.
Some go a step further and hypothesize that all lifeforms are part of one single living planetary being called Gaia. In this view, the atmosphere, the seas and the terrestrial crust would be results of interventions carried out by Gaia through the coevolving diversity of living organisms. While it is arguable that the Earth as a unit does not match the generally accepted biological criteria for life itself (Gaia has not yet reproduced, for instance; it still might spread to other planets through human space colonization and terraforming), many scientists would be comfortable characterising the earth as a single "system".

The most extreme form of Gaia hypothesis is that the entire Earth is a single unified organism; in this view the Earth's biosphere is consciously manipulating the climate in order to make conditions more conducive to life. Scientists contend that there is no evidence at all to support this last point of view, and it has come about because many people do not understand the concept of homeostasis. Many non-scientists instinctively see homeostasis as an activity that requires conscious control, although this is not so.
Much more speculative versions of Gaia hypothesis, including all versions in which it is held that the Earth is actually conscious or part of some universe-wide evolution, are currently held to be outside the bounds of science. These are discussed in the Gaia philosophy article. Also outside the bounds of science is the Gaia Movement, a collection of different organisations operating in different countries, but all sharing a concern for how humans might live more sustainably within the "living system".

Answer 3

Any seperation from the Goddess is your own, not hers. She is the Earth itself and all that it includes. Only man has a self-image that is sufficiently capable of self-deceit to feel seperate from her.

Not religious. Just a student of religion. There is much to support the Gaia hypothesis. They failed to find a way to show reproduction, respiration, etc., the qualities of life, but I have found them, if you are curious.

Gaia is actually the Greek Goddess, the being who birthed the Titans with Uranus, and most of the Western religions have some deity which matches her and some that match him.

I know quite a bit more, but this isn't the place. Contact me at will by email.

Answer 4

I've always known Gaia as being Mother Earth and she was also in Captain Planet!

Answer 5

Depends on what you believe. The goddess Gaia is traditionally the earth goddess (mother earth, etc.) but it can be an abstract concept, if you don't want to personify the planet...

Answer 6

Homeostasis, in biology, overall term for the tendency of biological systems to maintain a state of equilibrium. This tendency ranges from systems of internal balance in individual organisms to ecological patterns of balance in a community of organisms, as between numbers of predators and prey. The concept was first advanced in the 19th century by the French physiologist Claude Bernard, and was given its name by the American physiologist Walter B. Cannon. Examples of homeostasis include the body's self-regulation of hormone and acid-base levels, the composition of body fluids, and cell growth and body temperatures. On a broad scale, the world community of organisms tends to maintain some degree of evolving balance when not seriously disturbed. The so-called Gaia hypothesis of the earth as a living organism, which gained great popularity in the 1980s, may in some ways be regarded simply as an extension of homeostasis concepts.

Biosphere, the earth's relatively thin zone of air, soil, and water that is capable of supporting life, ranging from about 10 km (about 6 mi) into the atmosphere to the deepest ocean floor. Life in this zone depends on the sun's energy and on the circulation of heat and essential nutrients. The only known exception is deep-sea hydrothermal vent ecosystems, which depend entirely on the earth's energy (see Marine Life: Hydrothermal Vents). The biosphere remained sufficiently stable for hundreds of millions of years to sustain the evolution of today's life forms. Large-scale divisions of the biosphere into regions of different growth patterns are called biomes (see Ecology).

Answer 7

I have been told that Gaia is really another name for Mother Earth.

Answer 8

Gaia means earth in Greek. Rather she is worshipped as the mother goddess. Ouranos (Uranus) is her husband and son. He represents the sky.

Answer 9

ive only heard of gaia in yu-gi-oh cards lol no offense though.ii think ur supposed to worship the earth tho.

Answer 10

Gaia to me is one to meditate with. to me she is all of the water wind earth and fire, the guardian spirit of all life she is the mother of all and the greatest goddess on my personal path. but she could also be in the form of any goddess or woman from Athena to your mother herself.