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2.2.2 THE BIOPHILIA HYPOTHESIS
The Biophilia Hypothesis is a collection of chapters exploring the idea of the “biophilia hypothesis”, which Stephen R. Kellert states “proclaims a human dependence on nature that extends far beyond the simple issues of material and physical sustenance to encompass as well the human craving for aesthetic, intellectual, cognitive and even spiritual meaning and satisfaction”. 32 In it, Kellert praises Wilson’s 1984 book Biophilia for introducing this topic to society and explains that TheBiophiliaHypothesis is a compilation of works with the intention of creating a foundation and interest in further research for the idea of biophilia, which can, at the point this book was written, be described only as hypothesis, not fact. He introduces the notion that biophilia involves the suggestion that human inclination to affiliate with life and lifelike processes is five things: inherent or biologically based, part of our species’ evolutionary heritage, associated with human competitive advantage and genetic fitness, likely to increase the possibility for achieving individual meaning and personal fulfillment, and the self-interested basis for a human ethic of care and conservation of nature, most especially the diversity of life. 33 He explains the reasoning behind this book as being due to years of work on biophilia’s importance in topics like the role of nature in human cognitive and mental development, the biological basis for diverse values of nature, the evolutionary significance of the human aesthetic response to varying landscapes and species, the sociobiological importance of human altruism and helping behavior, and the role of nature in human emotional bonding and physical healing. 34 The book touches on the biological basis of the biophilia concept and offers a taxonomy of biologically-based human values indicative of the biophilia tendency in the first part, and part two addresses processes associated with the natural environment that condition human emotional, cognitive, and aesthetic development. The third part examines the cross-cultural consideration of the biophilia hypothesis, while the fourth explores the role of nature in human cognitive development and communication, and the fifth explores the connection between biophilia and human evolutionary development. The sixth and final part of the book addresses the role of biophilia in the contemporary context, in connection to moral relationships with nature and the imperatives of social change. 35 Overall, TheBiophiliaHypothesis provides a comprehensive basis for the hypothesis of biophilia and continues to be a reference for current research and literature on the topic of biophilia and biophilic design.
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