An exciting development on this project… I came across the term Biophilia after watching a video of Bjork’s music project. I then saw it again a couple of days later in a meditation book. They talked of Edward Wilson, a Harvard University entomologist. He believed that we have biophilial urges for “the love of things” – plants, animals, wildlife etc and these are encoded genetically. How exciting! He encouraged a positive interest in nature for it’s protection and our ‘normalcy’ Edward Wilson actually conceived the term biophilia in trying to explain, “the connections that human beings subconsciously seek with the rest of life.” As humans we are deeply affiliated with nature and this is rooted in our biology. This is known as a philia – an attraction and positive feeling that people have in their activities, natural environment and towards certain objects. Conversely, a phobia (anxiety, fear, dread, loathing et al) is the opposite. – Making for an aversion and fear of the natural world.
“Humanity is exalted not because we are so far above other living creatures, but because knowing them well elevates the very concept of life.”
Edward O. Wilson, Biophilia
“I have argued in this book that we are human in good part because of the particular way we affiliate with other organisms. They are the matrix in which the human mind originated and is permanently rooted, and they offer the challenge and freedom innately sought. To the extent that each person can feel like a naturalist, the old excitement of the untrammeled world will be regained. I offer this as a formula of reenchantment to invigorate poetry and myth: mysterious and little known organisms live within walking distance of where you sit. Splendor awaits in minute proportions.”
Edward O. Wilson, Biophilia
