web of life ...

the affinities of all the beings of the same class have sometimes been represented by a great tree ... as buds give rise by growth to fresh buds, and these if vigorous, branch out and overtop on all sides many a feebler branch, so by generation it has been with the great tree of life, which fills with its dead and broken branches the crust of the earth, and covers the surface with its ever branching and beautiful ramifications - ( doesnt matter)

the "web of Life" is, of course an ancient idea, which has been used by poets, philosophers, and mystics throughout the ages to convey their sense of the interwovenness and interdependence of all phenomena. the network is a pattern that is common to all life. wherever we see life, we see networks.

an amazing variety of habitats, people, plants and animals, everything from peacock to bananas and bacteria to beer are all interconnected in a fragile web of life and every member is essential for the balance.

at all levels of life, beginning with the simplest cell, mind and matter, process and structure, are inseparably connected. a living organism is more than shape, more than a static configuration of components in a whole. thus the famous phrase, "the whole is more than the sum of its parts."

we have much to learn from this wisdom of nature, and to do so we need to become ecologically literate. we need to understand the basic principles of ecology, the language of nature. the web of Life provides a solid basis for ecological thought and practice. knowledge about species, past environments, and evolutionary relationships is vital to understanding and protecting the web of life.

i can't understand why people are frightened of new ideas. i'm frightened of the old ones.