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Case
2
Vladimir Vernadsky, Biosphera i Noosphera
(The Biosphere and Noosphere) (Moskva: Airis
Press, 2003).
Vladimir
Vernadsky (1863-1945) is probably one of the
most well-known Russian/Soviet scientists,
even in the West. Having worked on radiation,
crystallography, and founded the science of
biogeochemistry, he contributed novel ideas
about the make-up and functioning of our planet.
Two of his most famous ideas are a scientific
understanding of the "Biosphere"--the
thin strata where life exists on the Earth
and the "Noosphere"--the realm of
the activity of human thought.
Working with Theilard de Chardin and other
philosophers, Vernadsky came to understand
humanity as another form of life establishing
itself as a geological force. He elaborated
on these ideas in his The Biosphere and
Noosphere, where he addressed the ability
of humans to transfer elements and concentrate
them in the biosphere to an unprecedented
extent. He described the Noosphere as "the
final stage in the evolution of the biosphere
being driven by humanity as the dominate force."
He also believed "in the strength of
human reason" and that scientific thought
would overcome the negative results of technogenesis
and would secure "the rational transformation
(and not annihilation) of the natural components
of the biosphere." This would satisy
mankind's increasing material and spiritual
demands.
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Case
1 |
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William
Paley, Natural Theology, 1794 |
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Carl
Linnaeus, Nemesis Divina, 1758 |
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George
Gregory, The Economy of Nature, 1804 |
Case
2 |
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Vladimir
Vernadsky, Biosphere and Noosphere, 1939 |
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Pierre
Teilard de Chardin, Human Energy, 1969 |
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Pierre
Teilard de Chardin, The Heart of Matter,
1978 |
Case
3 |
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John
Neale Dalton, The Book of Common Prayer, 1920 |
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Joan
Halifax, The Fruitful Darkness, 1993 |
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Hans
Dirk van Hoogstraten, Deep Economy, 2001 |
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Lynn
Margulis and Dorian Sagan, The Garden of Microbial
Delights, 1993 |
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Nina
Witoszek and Andrew Brennan, eds., Philosophical
Dialogues, 1999 |
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Roger
S. Gottlieb, ed., This
Sacred Earth, 2004 |
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Lloyd
Ackert
Whitney Humanities Center
Yale University
53 Wall Street
P.O. Box 208298
New Haven, CT 06520
Office: (203).432.3112
lloydackert@sbcglobal.net |
The
exhibit is located in three cases in the rotunda on the
first floor of the Divinity Library. The library is at:
409 Prospect Street
New Haven, CT 06511
Phone: (203) 432-5290
Circulation
Email: Divlib.Circdesk@Yale.edu
Reference Email:
Divinity.Library@Yale.edu
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