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Down to Earth: Planetary Health and Biophilosophy in the Symbiocene Epoch

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  • Susan L. Prescott

    (School of Medicine, University of Western Australia, PO Box D184, Princess Margaret Hospital, Perth, WA 6001, Australia
    in-FLAME Global Network, Research Group of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), 6010 Park Ave, Suite #4081, West New York, NJ 07093-9992, USA)

  • Alan C. Logan

    (in-FLAME Global Network, Research Group of the Worldwide Universities Network (WUN), 6010 Park Ave, Suite #4081, West New York, NJ 07093-9992, USA)

Abstract

Advances in science have illuminated the role of the “ecological theatre”—the total living environment—in human health. In a rapidly changing epoch known as the anthropocene, microbiome science is identifying functional connections between all life, both seen and unseen. Rather than an easily identifiable era appearing in rock strata, the anthropocene is more of a diagnostic syndrome, a set of signs and symptoms including climate change, gross biodiversity losses, environmental degradation, and an epidemic of non-communicable diseases. The syndrome is intertwined with politics, economics, public policies (or lack thereof), social values, and a global push of calorie-dense, nutrient-poor foods and beverages. The healing of anthropocene syndrome is the grand challenge of humanity. Expanding on the “Mars Can Wait” argument of Geoffrey Goodman, et al., we focus on the urgency with which health promotion must be prioritized here on Earth. We revive Jonas Salk’s biophilosophy: a call to action for collaboration between biologists, humanists, and scholars of all stripes. From this perspective, lines of distinction between personal, public, and planetary health are removed. We also describe the symbiocene: the possibility of a new epoch in which mutualism will be considered imperative. If society asks the right questions, a transition to the symbiocene is possible; the “stratigraphical” mark of the new epoch will be found in a repudiation of authoritarianism, and the promotion of empathy, cultural competency, emotional intelligence, and commitment to optimism, tolerance, and the facilitation of the WHO definition of health, i.e., the fulfillment of human potential.

Suggested Citation

  • Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan, 2017. "Down to Earth: Planetary Health and Biophilosophy in the Symbiocene Epoch," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-22, August.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jchals:v:8:y:2017:i:2:p:19-:d:108403
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    Cited by:

    1. Jennifer Cole & Adam Eskdale & Jonathan D. Paul, 2022. "Tackling AMR: A Call for a(n Even) More Integrated and Transdisciplinary Approach between Planetary Health and Earth Scientists," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan, 2018. "A New Reality: Human Evolution for a Sustainable Future. By Jonas Salk, MD, and Jonathan Salk, MD. City Point Press: Stratford, CT, USA, 2018; 256pp.; ISBN: 978-1-947951-04-4," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-3, July.
    3. John Zelenski & Sara Warber & Jake M. Robinson & Alan C. Logan & Susan L. Prescott, 2023. "Nature Connection: Providing a Pathway from Personal to Planetary Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(1), pages 1-23, March.
    4. Alan C. Logan & Susan L. Prescott, 2017. "Astrofood, Priorities and Pandemics: Reflections of an Ultra-Processed Breakfast Program and Contemporary Dysbiotic Drift," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 8(2), pages 1-24, September.
    5. Palmiro Poltronieri, 2018. "Challenges in the Healthcare Systems and Formative Needs of Family Doctors," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-3, August.
    6. Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan & David L. Katz, 2019. "Preventive Medicine for Person, Place, and Planet: Revisiting the Concept of High-Level Wellness in the Planetary Health Paradigm," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-15, January.
    7. Ben Gray, 2019. "(Bio)Ethics in a Pluralistic Society," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-15, January.
    8. Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan, 2019. "Narrative Medicine Meets Planetary Health: Mindsets Matter in the Anthropocene," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-26, February.
    9. Susan L. Prescott & Jeffrey M. Greeson & Mona S. El-Sherbini & The Planetary Health Community Convened by the Nova Institute for Health, 2022. "No Health without Mental Health: Taking Action to Heal a World in Distress—With People, Places, and Planet ‘in Mind’," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-15, August.
    10. Jonathan D. Salk, 2019. "Planetary Health: A New Reality," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-7, January.
    11. Hannes Kettner & Sam Gandy & Eline C. H. M. Haijen & Robin L. Carhart-Harris, 2019. "From Egoism to Ecoism: Psychedelics Increase Nature Relatedness in a State-Mediated and Context-Dependent Manner," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(24), pages 1-23, December.
    12. Jake M. Robinson & Jacob G. Mills & Martin F. Breed, 2018. "Walking Ecosystems in Microbiome-Inspired Green Infrastructure: An Ecological Perspective on Enhancing Personal and Planetary Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 9(2), pages 1-15, November.
    13. David H. Nelson & Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan & Jeffrey S. Bland, 2019. "Clinical Ecology—Transforming 21st-Century Medicine with Planetary Health in Mind," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-16, February.
    14. Alan C. Logan & Susan H. Berman & Brian M. Berman & Susan L. Prescott, 2020. "Project Earthrise: Inspiring Creativity, Kindness and Imagination in Planetary Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-23, September.
    15. Susan L. Prescott & Trevor Hancock & Jeffrey Bland & Matilda van den Bosch & Janet K. Jansson & Christine C. Johnson & Michelle Kondo & David Katz & Remco Kort & Anita Kozyrskyj & Alan C. Logan & Chri, 2019. "Eighth Annual Conference of inVIVO Planetary Health: From Challenges to Opportunities," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(21), pages 1-62, November.
    16. Susan L. Prescott & Jeffrey S. Bland, 2020. "Spaceship Earth Revisited: The Co-Benefits of Overcoming Biological Extinction of Experience at the Level of Person, Place and Planet," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(4), pages 1-20, February.
    17. Susan L. Prescott & Alan C. Logan, 2018. "Larger Than Life: Injecting Hope into the Planetary Health Paradigm," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 9(1), pages 1-27, March.
    18. Susan L. Prescott, 2023. "Lost Connections: Why the Growing Crisis of Loneliness Matters for Planetary Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 14(3), pages 1-7, July.
    19. Susan L. Prescott, 2021. "The Vision of Challenges , a Unique Journal in an Era of Planetary Health Challenges," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-4, May.
    20. Jake M. Robinson & Martin F. Breed, 2019. "Green Prescriptions and Their Co-Benefits: Integrative Strategies for Public and Environmental Health," Challenges, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-14, January.

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