biocentrism

American  

[bahy-oh-sen-triz-uhm] / ˌbaɪ oʊˈsɛn trɪz əm /

noun

1. the view or principle that all life forms have inherent value and significance, and should therefore be given serious consideration in determining the moral or ethical value of a course of action.

2. a cosmological theory that regards conscious, organic observers as the basis rather than the by-product of the universe, holding that their biological patterns of perception and information processing effectively determine the universe’s space-time structure and its key physical constants.

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Etymology

Origin of biocentrism

First recorded in 1930–35; biocentr(ic) ( def. ) + -ism ( def. )

Explanation

With biocentrism, no living creature is more important than another, no matter their size or function because it is believed that all life is equally important and interconnected. Imagine that a city wants to build a new road through a forest. Using biocentrism, they wouldn't just think about how the road could help people get around faster. Instead, they would also consider how cutting through the forest could affect the animals and plants living there. They might decide to change the road's path to cause less harm to the forest or find ways to protect the environment while building the road. This shows how biocentrism values all forms of life, not just human interests.

Example Sentences

While their perspective is different from biocentrism, they provide pathways to explore the interaction between life, environment and the universe, and the relationship between life and consciousness.

From Scientific American • Sep. 5, 2019