The doctrine of the noosphere combines many paradigms from seemingly having little in common disciplines: philosophy, economics, geology. What is unique about this concept?
History of the term
The fact that the noosphere, first told the world in his publications, the French mathematician Eduard Leroy in 1927. A few years earlier, he had listened to several lectures by the outstanding Russian scientist Vladimir Ivanovich Vernadsky concerning problems in the field of geochemistry (as well as biogeochemistry). The noosphere is a special state of the biosphere in which the human mind plays a key role. Man, using intelligence, creates a "second nature" along with the existing one.
However, at the same time, it itself is part of nature. Therefore, the noosphere is still the result of evolution taking place along the following chain: the development of the planet - the biosphere - the appearance of man - and, finally, the emergence of the noosphere. At the same time, according to the researchers V. I. Vernadsky, there is no clear answer to the question: "Does the Noosphere already exist, or is it just about to appear?" The scientist at the same time suggested that at the time when his granddaughter will become an adult, the human mind, his creative beginning, most likely, will blossom and reveal themselves fully. And this may be an indirect sign of the appearance of the noosphere.
Vernadsky's concept
Vernadsky’s doctrine of the noosphere, according to scientists, was connected precisely with that section of “evolution”, when the biosphere turns into the noosphere. Vladimir Ivanovich in his book “Scientific thought as a planetary phenomenon” writes that the transition from the biosphere to the noosphere is possible when scientific thought influences this process.
In addition, researchers note, Vernadsky identified several conditions for the appearance of the noosphere. Among them, for example, is the complete occupation of the planet by people (in this case, there simply will not be room for the biosphere). It is also the improvement of the means of communication and information exchange between people from different parts of the planet (and this is already thanks to the Internet). The noosphere can arise when the geology of the Earth will depend more on a person than on nature.
Concepts of Followers
Scientists of various fields, having learned the teachings of Vernadsky and his associates about what the noosphere is, created several concepts that develop the original postulates of the Russian researcher. According to A.D. Ursula, for example, the noosphere is a system where moral reason, values associated with intelligence, humanism will manifest themselves in the first place. In the noosphere according to Ursul, humanity lives in harmony with nature, in the mode of joint participation in evolutionary processes.
If Vernadsky’s doctrine of the noosphere implies the predominant disappearance of the biosphere, then, as modern researchers note, the concepts of today's authors contain theses that the noosphere and biosphere are likely to exist simultaneously. One of the possible criteria for the presence of the noosphere - according to modern scientists - may be to achieve the limit of human development, the maximum level of improvement of socio-economic institutions. There is an imperative of higher moral and cultural values.
The connection of the noosphere and man
Man and the noosphere are connected in the most direct way. It is thanks to the actions of man and the direction of his mind that the noosphere appears (Vernadsky’s teaching speaks of precisely this). A special era is arising in the development of the geology of the planet. Man, having created a specific environment for himself, takes part of the functions of the biosphere. People replace the natural, that which is already in nature, with the artificial. An environment appears where technology plays a significant role.
Landscapes arise, also created with the help of people-driven various types of machines. Is it true to say that the noosphere is the sphere of the human mind? A number of researchers believe that human activity does not always depend on his understanding of how the world works. People tend to act by experimenting, making mistakes. Reason, if you adhere to this concept, will most likely be a factor in improving technology as such, but not a condition for rational impact on the biosphere in order to turn it into a noosphere.
Anthroposphere and technosphere
The theory of the noosphere in the work of a number of scientists is closely intertwined with two other terms. Firstly, this is the "anthroposphere." The concept denotes the role and place of man, as well as his activities in space. The anthroposphere is a combination of the material spheres of the planet’s life, for the development of which only man is responsible. Secondly, this is the “technosphere”. There are two interpretations of the essence of the term. According to the first, this phenomenon is a special case of the interpretation of the anthroposphere.
The technosphere is a set of areas of human activity in which technology is involved. It can be both the planet itself and space. According to the second interpretation, the technosphere is that part of the biosphere that changes due to technological human intervention. By the way, there is a group of scientists who identify the technosphere and the noosphere, and there are researchers who understand the technosphere as an intermediate link between the biosphere and the noosphere.
Noospheric thinking
Along with the concept of "noosphere" is a term associated with a special type of thinking. He appeared relatively recently. It is about noospheric thinking. It, according to a number of researchers, is characterized by several specific features. The most important of these is a high degree of criticality. Following is the man’s internal orientation towards improving the biosphere, at creating material benefits that contribute to this. An important part of noosphere thinking is the priority of the public over the personal (especially in solving scientific problems). This is the desire to solve unusual and unsolved problems. Another component of noospheric thinking is the desire to understand the essence of processes that occur in nature and society.
Noosphere education
Among scientists, there is an opinion that not every person is predisposed to noospheric thinking from nature. Many people do not even know what the noosphere is. However, the researchers believe, a person can be taught the art of mastering this type of thinking. This must happen within the framework of the so-called noospheric formation. The main emphasis in training is placed on the capabilities of the human brain.
According to theorists of noosphere education, people should learn to stimulate the appearance of positive aspirations within themselves, a craving for harmony with the world around them, and a desire to understand the objective nature of the processes taking place in society. If positive aspirations, as the creators of this concept believe, are brought into politics and the solution of economic problems, then humanity will take a huge step forward.
The concept of Teilhard de Chardin
In the treatise “The Phenomenon of Man, ” the French scientist Pierre Teilhard de Chardin put forward several philosophical concepts affecting such a phenomenon as the noosphere. They can be briefly described as follows: man has become not just an object of evolution, but also its engine. According to the scientist’s concepts, the main source of reason is reflection, the person’s ability to know himself. The theory of Teilhard de Chardin and the concept of Vernadsky are united by the hypothesis of the appearance of man. Both scientists believe that people have become special and different from other living beings because of the recognition of personalities. The fundamental difference between the understanding of the noosphere according to Teilhard De Chardin is that he operates with categories such as “superman” and “space”.
When the biosphere can turn into a noosphere
The doctrine of the noosphere is closely related to the biosphere. As mentioned above, the transition from one sphere to another can occur in a mode of special evolution. According to a common definition, the biosphere is a system that ensures the life of the planet. Living organisms live in it, their activity affects the circulation of various elements and chemicals. In the course of natural evolution, the biosphere prepared a springboard for the emergence of human civilization: people received crops, minerals for use.
In the course of development, in turn, of human civilization, they acquired tools with which they got the opportunity to influence the biosphere. Among scientists, there is a version that for some time this influence was insignificant - people's needs amounted to no more than 1% of the resources of the biosphere. But as this figure increased, an imbalance developed: the biosphere gradually lost the ability to provide a person with everything necessary completely. People are faced with the need to receive what the biosphere could not give, on their own. And when this amount of self-sufficiency is such that a person ceases to use the resources of the biosphere, then the noosphere will appear.
