Metaecology

The universe stretches out immensely, filled with twinkling lights. Within the sprawling, gaping darkness, the scattering of galaxies with myriad stars amaze everyone’s eyes. The heavenly space hypnotizes humans with all the mysteries that lie in celestial objects.

The James Webb Space Telescope has revealed previously hidden views of the universe. This telescope is able to penetrate into the spacious depth and capture infrared light to produce sharp images. We can explore the behavior of galaxies and observe the kaleidoscope of colors to decipher the transformation process of each galaxy.

The universe is a majestic space for floating galaxies. This is shown in one of the images featuring the Stephan Quintet, the five galaxies in the Pegasus constellation looking to be in a dance. In addition, the Southern Ring Nebula is seen showing spectacular colors of gas and dust glowing in ejections, marking a twilight star toward the end of its existence.

The images show a “cosmic canyon” with the recess being a sculpture creation by ultraviolet radiation and extreme winds from the fledgling stars.

The cosmos teaches balance. Along with the dying stars, newly born stars appear with explosive energy. That is what we can learn from one of the images that reveal the process of birth and star formation in the Carina Nebula. The images show a “cosmic canyon” with the recess being a sculpture creation by ultraviolet radiation and extreme winds from the fledgling stars.

Natural law

The words of Carl Sagan, an astrophysicist, resonated in my mind as I was traveling to the corners of the universe through the images from the James Webb Space Telescope. In his work titled Cosmos, in the section on the “Harmony of the Worlds”, he says, if we lived on a planet that was unchanging or highly static, then there would be very little that was necessary or interesting to do with science. Meanwhile, if our worlds were too random and completely devoid of any basis, it would be difficult to conduct scientific investigations altogether. In fact, according to Sagan, we live in-between, which is the universe that experiences changes, yet following a pattern, a rule, which is called natural law.

CREATIVE COMMONS/WIKIPEDIA

The paths of two interstellar objects recorded to have visited the Solar System, namely the asteroid 'Oumuamua (red) and comet Borisov (yellow).

The laws of nature, in my opinion, are not solely related to the deterministic facts of human life. I see the laws of nature connect me to the roaring seas of the cosmos. In Sagan's work titled Pale Blue Dots, he outlines his views on the importance of exploring other planets, but warns to use our sensibility to protect Planet Earth as home to mankind and various living creatures.

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Sagan is a scientist who loudly calls for vigilance against global warming. He uses interplanetary knowledge to illustrate how unique and special the Earth is in the solar system. In front of the United States Congress in 1985, he warned of the urgency to work against the dangers of the greenhouse effect.

The Venus condition sends a message about the grim disasters that threaten us in the future if temperatures continue to rise and the Earth's surface continues to warm.

He gave an example by pointing to the extremely and fiercely hot surface of Venus. While being attributable to the proximity of Venus to the Sun, the extreme heat is also due to the carbon dioxide trapped on the planet's surface. The Venus condition sends a message about the grim disasters that threaten us in the future if temperatures continue to rise and the Earth's surface continues to warm.

Vaisesika, a school of ancient philosophy in India, states the universe consists of infinite atoms. I imagine the basic elements that make up the cosmos also inhabiting my body. Sagan puts it beautifully that we are all composed of star dust. I indulge my imagination of me gliding in life composed of tightly intertwined cosmic elements between one another, down to the primordial substance that was formed after the big bang.

This connectedness reminds me of the work of choreographer Sardono W Kusumo titled Meta Ekologi (meta ecology) in 1975. The dance, which displayed lavish experimentations, showed on the stage bodies being vividly immersed into one with the Earth. The depiction came out the choreographer’s concerns about worrying deforestation in Indonesia due to modernization and industrialization.

NASA/TIM PYLE

Illustration of planetary systems outside the Solar System.

Metaecology goes beyond ecological science. It sees the Earth, I assume, not simply an object that is measured, determined or even used for human interests. Metaecology thus places humans not only as observers of interactions between biological diversity, but more than that, as part of inseparable spatial connectedness.

The climate crisis requires us to evaluate world values and our worldview on how knowledge systems and scientific approaches are applied for environmental sustainability.

Living as a river, sea, land or forest is mentioned in the report as living based on insights about cosmocentric value.

The latest report by the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) outlines typological values related to human relations with environment. This study looks into the relationship between humans and rivers, which can be divided into several typologies – living on the river, living in the river area, living with the river and living as a river, which emphasizes humans as part of the river. Living as a river, sea, land or forest is mentioned in the report as living based on insights about cosmocentric value.

Back to my exploration of the universe – I remember Sagan’s statement, which said that for a creature as tiny as a human, the vastness of the universe can only be navigated with affection. I think this affection must be shown to the Earth under the protective hood of the atmosphere that nurtures life.

ARSIP PRIBADI

Saras Dewi

SARAS DEWI,Lecturer of Philosophy, the University of Indonesia

(This article was translated by Musthofid)