The Gaia Hypothesis: Science On A Pagan Planet – by: Michael Ruse (2013)

   I asked for this book and received it as a gift from a friend who bought a copy for herself to read along with me. That made me a little self-conscious as I read because I kept thinking how dull this book must seem for my friend. It’s the kind of book I actually enjoy though. Not because it’s a pleasure to read --- it’s not --- but rather, because it’s full of information and perspectives that was new to me.

   Don’t get me wrong; I knew about as much as most people about the Gaia hypothesis to begin with. I also knew that the idea of Earth as a living organism has been around for thousands of years. But, what I didn’t know, and found very interesting, was the specific socio-political forces that tugged and pulled at the very concept of a living planet in our modern age. The details were insightful, and significant to me as a wanna-be philosopher.

   No real surprises though. The information merely added to and supported my previous experiences with how ideas play out in the mind of society. I should write my own book someday about how we think collectively, and about how those collective thoughts are expressed in our individual lives.

   Maybe I will, if Gaia lets me.