The idea of the earth being viewed as a superorganism is not new.  James Hutton himself proposed this view in 1785 at a meeting of the Royal Society of Edinburgh.  He compared the circulation of Earth’s water, with its contained sediments and nutrients, to the circulation of blood in an animal.  In essence, Hutton proposed that the oceans as the heart of Earth’s global system and the forests as the lungs.  James Lovelock proposed this idea again in the 1980’s with the Gaia hypothesis.  There are three parts to the Gaia hypothesis.  First, life significantly alters the planetary environment.  I think we would be hard pressed to come up with scientists who have trouble with this concept.  Secondly, life affects the environment for the betterment of life.  This is shown in environmental geology by the “natural systems function” concept, where parts of the ecosystem (including life) play an important role in regulating planetary systems.  The third part of the Gaia hypothesis is more difficult to accept…life deliberately or consciously controls the global environment (while this may be true in the human framework, I do not think all life consciously controls earth systems). 

While the discussion here is different from what Hutton and Lovelock proposed as the earth being a superorganism…I thought it helpful to remind folk that these concepts have been put out there for review and scientists have accepted some aspects of the “superorganism” hypothesis.  Such hypotheses are helpful in that they promote interdisciplinary thinking, which is always good.   One comment I would have is that tectonics can be viewed as an inorganic process that assists life (which there is ample evidence of in the geological record) or if you are so inclined to think so (which currently I am not) can be considered a “byproduct” of an organic process.  Respiration (from my recollection) is not in and of itself an organic process, though it is necessarily for some organisms to survive.  Tectonics does not need to be a biological process to support life.   The reverse is true also…biological processes need not influence the tectonic process in order to take advantage of it in the first place.

Personally, I think that in the global system, there are many ways in which biologic and inorganic processes interact in the various earth cycles to produce the unique environment the planet has.  You do not have to have a model which is entirely biological or entirely inorganic….from my limited experience, nature just doesn’t work that way. 

From: Tectonics & structural geology discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Suresh Bansal
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2011 10:46 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: fine example

 I need one help from you. as we know earth is covered with crust (bark). my point is what are the possible evidence to prove  that earth is a living organism.

On Tue, May 10, 2011 at 8:32 AM, Craig Magee <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

Dear all,

I must admit i didn't think this would be my first e-mail to the Geotectonics mailing list! I think it was Aristotle (or some other famous person) that said,

'It is the mark of an educated mind to be able to entertain a thought without accepting it'

In my view this is what science is all about, how else does our understanding grow? I have been pleased to see many replies to this forum discussing this topic and querying the Earth-Tree hypothesis, whilst still encouraging Mr. Suresh (and others) to continue to question the current 'beliefs'. I'm sure the plate tectonic model sounded odd to many people initially. Yet here we are.

However, I am disconcerted that whenever a valid question is raised, all i see are the same arguments coming back. There appears to be no development. Just links to some pictures and a brief description. Therefore, whilst I enjoy open debates this seems to have run its course, unless new supporting arguments are brought forward to move the discussion on.

Cheers,
Craig

E-mail: [log in to unmask]
Tel: 0121 414 6146
Address: School of Geography, Earth and Environmental Sciences
             The University of Birmingham
             Edgbaston, Birmingham
             B15 2TT

http://www.gees.bham.ac.uk/staff/pgcxm477.shtml
________________________________________
From: Tectonics & structural geology discussion list [[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Joaquin Garcia Sansegundo [[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 10 May 2011 15:08
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: fine example

I am new to this forum. The truth is I can not believe what I read.
Is it a good idea to discuss these things?
Best regards to all,
Joaquin

At 15:03 10/05/2011, you wrote:
>Hello Suresh:
>
>I am getting increasingly confused, and I was already confused by
>your post
>quoting
><http://creditsecretsbiblereview.com/credit/blogs/Abiogenic-Petroleum-Origin.html>http://creditsecretsbiblereview.com
>a few days ago. I am guessing: Are you telling us the Earth is a big
>sphere shaped tree growing outwardly into space? Are you presenting
>that thought as a theory of how the Earth formed/is forming? If this
>is not the case, why are you posting these pictures? what are you
>trying to say? Please come up with something that one can accept as
>a concise hypothesis of how your line of thinking hangs together and
>formulate ways to test the predictions following from your
>hypothesis which would contradict those of plate tectonics for
>example. If this is not something you can do I would recommend to
>read up on the literature or just give up to try to persuade people
>of something (if that is what you are trying to do) in this way
>which I find it seriously, and increasingly, offputting, I am sorry to say.
>
>Best wishes,
>
>Victor
>
>On 10/05/2011 13:29, Suresh Bansal wrote:
>>
>>Dear All,
>>
>>
>>please observe the new snap of fine example of mountain formation
>>on trunk.pls see below link
>>
>>   <http://yfrog.com/0g72697054j>http://yfrog.com/0g72697054j
>>
>>regs
>>  suresh
>
>
>
>--
>Dr. Victor Bense
>
>University of East Anglia
>School of Environmental Sciences
>Norwich, NR4 7TJ
>England
>
>tel. +44 (0)1603 591297
>fax. +44 (0)1603 591327
>
><http://www.uea.ac.uk/~vva06uyu>http://www.uea.ac.uk/~vva06uyu
>http://franciscus.co.uk
>
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_________________________________________________

Joaquin Garcia Sansegundo
Departamento de Geologia (Area de Geodinamica Interna)
Universidad de Oviedo
c/ Jesus Arias de Velasco, s/n.
(33005) OVIEDO (Asturias).  SPAIN
Tlfn: +34 985103150.  Fax: +34 985103103
[log in to unmask]
http://www.researcherid.com/rid/A-2936-2010
http://www.geol.uniovi.es/Users/JGSansegundo.html
________________________________________________