We Homo sapiens evolved in the company of other creatures, and our human identity remains rooted in the natural world. No matter how much we may have become urban dwellers, humans continue to rely physically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually on the quality and richness of our natural surroundings.
That is the basic hypothesis of Stephen R. Kellert's book "Kinship to Mastery: Biophilia in Human Evolution and Development" (Island Press, 1997). In his latest work, Professor Kellert continues the discussion first begun by Harvard biologist Edward O. Wilson in his controversial book "Biophilia" (Harvard University Press, 1984), which describes humans' inherent biological need to affiliate with the world of plants and animals.
According to Professor Kellert, biophilia is reflected in the power and imagery of languages, the universality of fairy tales involving animals, and human's pervasive need not only to establish a kinship with nature but to exert mastery over it. In fact, humans' affinity for nature also is thought to be the driving force behind the current environmental movement, he notes.
"Nature offers a universal classroom for learning and instruction -- a place where, independent of culture and history, intellectual capacity can be nurtured and developed," writes the author, a professor of social ecology at the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies. "Our species' inherent inclination to engage in study and observation has always fed upon nature's never-ending mystery and diversity. ...
"It's easy to think of nature as being peripheral in our lives because we tend to experience it piecemeal," he adds. "But when we look at the broad sweep of ways we experience nature, and look at nature's profound impact on our physical, material and emotional well-being, we see more there than we first imagined."
In building his biophilia hypothesis, Professor Kellert cites scores of studies about public interactions with and perceptions of the environment. Among the facts he mentions are the following:
* An estimated $3 trillion -- or 15 percent of the global economy of $21 trillion -- is obtained from the wild (pharmaceuticals, honey, fish, berries, mushrooms, nuts, etc.). That includes $180 billion for wild foods alone.
* More Americans (135 million) visit zoos during an average year than attend all the professional baseball, basketball and football games together. Another 10 million people visit the 35 most popular aquariums. Visits to national parks and protected areas are soaring dramatically.
* Three million people in more than 20 countries seek the chance to see whales and other marine mammals in the wild -- an activity that was unknown 50 or 60 years ago.
* Ecotourism is now the fastest growing segment of the international travel industry and one of the most significant sources of income for countries like Kenya, Nepal, Costa Rica and Ecuador.
* Twenty-five percent of the U.S. population either fishes or hunts for recreation during an average year. One-quarter of all Americans claim to be bird watchers, and U.S. residents own some 130 million cats and dogs.
Professor Kellert also includes quotes by such writers as Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, John Steinbeck, Carl Jung and Friedrich Nietzsche, showing humans' affinity for nature, and he includes a number of anecdotes describing the power of nature to comfort, inspire and renew. "I wanted this book to be accessible to a wider audience," says Professor Kellert, who views "Kinship to Mastery" as the third book in a trilogy. He and Professor Wilson coedited "The Biophilia Hypothesis" (Island Press, 1993), which brought together noted scientists to explore the theory in depth; he is also author of "The Value of Life: Biological Diversity and Human Society" (Island Press 1996), which was was aimed primarily at scholars and conservationists.
The book's concluding chapters give readers ideas about how they can preserve biodiversity and reduce pollution through education and action. "Contemporary society frequently fails to recognize the significance of maintaining rich and healthy ties with natural diversity," he writes. "The illusion emerges that humans can live apart from nature, somewhat transcending the need for experiencing natural diversity. ... Thus a vicious cycle develops: denying the importance of natural process and connection encourages apathy and destructive excess, further estranging people from their fundamental physical and mental dependence on a healthy living environment."
In summing up, Professor Kellert quotes Professor Wilson, a Pulitzer-Prize-winning author, who said, "The more we know of other forms of life, the more we enjoy and respect ourselves. Humanity is exalted not because we are so far above other living creatures, but because knowing them well elevates the very concept of life."