Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
Chapter 4
Life and the Elements
Atoms as Beings
In order to deeply understand the life of our planet we need to explore the cycles of the
chemical elements, for without their coming to life in organisms there would be no Gaia
to speak of. So what exactly are the chemical elements? Democritus was right—the ma-
terial world is indeed made of atoms, but, as we have seen, atoms are not dead, mechan-
ical entities; they are participatory beings with characters akin to our own, even though
those of atoms are far more consistent than human nature, which is malleable, often un-
predictable, and very much dependent on circumstance. Place the same person in the
same environment today and tomorrow, and on one day they may feel good, on the other
they may feel sad. According to mainstream science, atomic personalities are far more
consistent—an oxygen atom will
always
behave in the same way whenever it encoun-
ters the same chemical and physical environment, no matter where in the universe the
encounter happens. Every person (and indeed, every mammal, bird, reptile, and possibly
insect) has a unique character— no two hummingbirds will behave in exactly the same
