Gaia theory

Lenton, T.M. and Wilkinson, D.M. (2003). Developing the Gaia theory. Climate Change, 58, 1-12 Lovelock, 1. (1979). Gaia - New Look at life on Earth, Oxford University Press, Oxford Volk, T. (1998). Gaia s Body. Springer-Verlag, Copernicus, New York... 

THE BIOSPHERE-THEORY OF V.I. VERNADSKY AND THE GAIA-THEORY OF JAMES LOVELOCK A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE TWO THEORIES AND TRADITIONS... 

At the same time, I not know of any works where the theories of Lovelock and Vernadsky were compared and analysed fat detail. So I shall be concerning myself precisely with this in this chapter. I will examine the basic statements of the Gaia theory as represented in the works of Lovelock and other advocates of his theory. I then compare these statements with those of Vernadsky. In comparing the two theories, I look only at the most general basic statements due to the incomparability of the scientific data available now and at Vernadsky s time of writing. 

One of the first steps toward the construction of Gaia-theory, which Lovelock himself sees as innovative, was a conclusion on the biogenic character of the Earth s atmosphere. Lovelock wrote (1989a, p. 7) ... 

The comparative analysis of the Gaia-theory and Vernadsky s theory of the biosphere shows that some crucial theoretical claims, which are fundamental to the Gaia-theoiy, had already been stated by Vernadsky as early as in the 1920 s and 40 s. These include (1) the biogenic character of the atmosphere (2) the selfregulating capacity of the biosphere (3) the evolution of the biosphere as a whole system including both its biotic and abiotic components. Until the advent of the Gaia-theory theoretical investigation into these problems was continued by the followers of Vernadsky. 

Levit G., Krumbein W. (1999) The Biosphere Theory of V.I. Vernadsky and the Gaia Theory of J. Lovelock a Comparative Analysis of the Two Theories and Two Traditiotjs. Zhumal Obshchei Biologii (Journal of General Biology), 61(2) 133-144. 

The most valuable contribution to modem science of Vernadsky is, plausibly, his theory of the biosphere. The author of the contemporary Gaia-theory James Lovelock wrote we (Lovelock himself and a biologist and co-author of Gaia-theory Lytm Margulis - G.L.) discovered him (Vernadsky) to be our most illustrious predecessoi (Lovelock, 1986, p. 51). In other place L. Margulis (1995, p. 47) added Indeed, Vernadsky did for space what Darwin had done for time as Darwin showed all life descended from a remote ancestor, so Vernadsky showed all life inhabited a materially unified place, the biosphere". 

Through Gaia theory, I see the Earth and the life it bears as a system, a system that has a capacity to regulate the temperature and the composition of the Earth s surface and to keep it comfortable for living organisms" (Lovelock, 1989b, p. 31). 

At the same time, not all defenders of the Gaia theory share the opinion that Earth is a living organism. By way of contrast, there are some authors influenced by Vernadskian thought, who believe there is a problem in the notion of organism in connection with the biosphere-theory. 

J.E. Lovelock (subsequently famous as the founder of the Gaia theory of the whole earth as an organism) invented this deceptively simple but exquisitely sensitive and selective detector. It is not too much of a reach to claim that observations which were only made possible by the use of this GC detector set off the revolution in environmental consciousness in the 1960s. 

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