Proponents of the "Gaia" theory, introduced in1972 by James Lovelock, believe the Earth can beviewed as a single harmonious organism. "Gaia"refers to a unified geologically and biologicallybalanced planet whose components comprise aself-regulating system optimized for sustaininglife.

Adherents to the Gaia theory include VicePresident Gore and Princeton physicist FreemanDyson.

Opponents of the theory say its subjectivitytends to debunk itself. Author Nicholas Wadewrites in the New York Times Magazine: "...[theGaia theory] quickly becomes mystical since it sostrongly implies a nice greenhouse with athermostat and a kindly gardener who set thesystem in motion."

The Scientific Defense

Many scientists say the attacks againstobjective science are difficult to counter sincethe criticisms tend to circumvent objectivityaltogether.

"It's hard to counter [the anti-sciencemovement] because it's so obviously wrong," saysGeorgi. Calling post-modernism a disease, he says,"I wish I knew why it was so popular."

Georgi admits that the anti-science philosophycorrectly recognizes the huge social structuresurrounding science. But he says post-modernism"misses the point that there's something beneaththat structure."

Professor of Chemistry Dudley Herschbach sayspost-modernist theory seems to be somewhatself-contradictory. "It seems to be a sort ofnihilistic thing," he says. "[Post-modernisttheory] is like explaining to a farmer that hedoesn't know what a cow is."

"Apply post-modernism to post-modernism," saysHerschbach, suggesting that a philosophy thatdenies all absolutes cannot admit its ownexistence.

Herschbach says science always begins as aninquiry into a subjective question, so objectivityis initially hardly an issue. "When you makebricks, you start with mud," he says.

Only later, when the results of an inquiry aretested (become bricks), does objectivity become akey part of valid science, says Herschbach. Thecarefully tested results of science result in "awhole network that hangs together amazingly well."

Emphasizing the paradox of post-modernism hesays,"...if you want to be rigorouslyphilosophical you can say you never know anythingabout anything."

The Spread of Anti-Science

Mallinckrodt Professor of Physics Gerald Holtonwrites in his book Science and Anti-Sciencethat historically, anti scientific movements suchas postmodernism have the potential to becomepseudo-scientific value systems.

"[Cases] include such diverse instancesas...the 'Aryan' science in Germany...[and] theanti-science campaign associated with China'sCultural Revolution," writes Holton.