Question

What do you mean by Gaia hypothesis?

• A. The Earth is best understood as a complex, self regulating living being
• B. Industrialism originates in patriarchy
• C. The importance of moral relativism in large scale socialist production
• D. There is a link between happiness and the level of material consumption

Hint:

Think of Gaia as the ancient Greek name for "Mother Earth." The hypothesis treats the planet as a single living entity rather than a collection of separate parts.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Concept: The Gaia Hypothesis was proposed by chemist James Lovelock and co-developed by microbiologist Lynn Margulis in the 1970s. It is a cornerstone of "Deep Ecology" and modern environmental political thought.

Step 1: Definition of the Hypothesis.
The hypothesis suggests that living organisms and their inorganic surroundings (atmosphere, hydrosphere, and soil) evolve as a single, self-regulating system to maintain the conditions for life on Earth. It views the planet not as a rock with life on it, but as a "superorganism."

Step 2: The Mechanism of Homeostasis.
Much like a human body regulates its temperature, the Gaia system uses feedback loops to maintain global temperature, atmospheric content, and ocean salinity. This shifts the focus from "human-centered" (anthropocentric) politics to "earth-centered" (ecocentric) politics.

Step 3: Political Significance.
In Political Science, the Gaia hypothesis is used to support the idea that humans are merely one part of a larger, interconnected biological web. It challenges the Westphalian notion of sovereign borders by highlighting that ecological damage in one area affects the self-regulation of the entire planet.