Overview
Biophilia is a coined term combining "Bio (life)" and "Philia (love, affinity)," and is a hypothesis that "humans have an innate tendency (instinct) to feel affinity for life and life-like processes." It was proposed in 1984 by the renowned sociobiologist E.O. Wilson. It is a concept that explains phenomena like "why do people decorate with flowers," "why do people keep pets," and "why does looking at natural scenery calm us" based on human evolutionary history.Theoretical Background
Evolutionary Psychology Approach
99.9% of human history was spent in hunter-gatherer life in natural environments. Living in artificial environments like cities is a "very recent" event on the evolutionary timescale. Therefore, the human brain and body are thought to still be "adapted to natural environments."- Savanna Hypothesis: Landscapes that humans find "beautiful" or "want to live in" (open grasslands, scattered trees, waterways) are said to closely resemble the African savanna environment where humanity originated.
- Survival Instinct: Places with abundant plants have water and food, and places with animals have hunting opportunities. Therefore, individuals whose genes retained traits that attracted them to these things were more likely to survive.
Detailed Explanation
Three Aspects of Biophilia
Kellert (Stephen Kellert) and others have classified and expanded biophilia as follows:- Utilitarian Interest: Interest in organisms as food and resources.
- Naturalistic/Ecological Interest: Intellectual curiosity about the ecology of organisms and how nature works.
- Aesthetic/Symbolic Interest: Being moved by beauty, and nature as a motif for poetry and art.
Biophilic Design
"Biophilic Design" applies this hypothesis to architecture and urban planning. Innovations like placing plants in offices, incorporating natural light, using wood, and making nature visible from windows have been shown to reduce worker stress and improve creativity and productivity, as demonstrated in cases like Amazon's office (The Spheres) and Google.Critical Examination
The Existence of "Biophobia"
Humans not only love nature but also have innate fears (biophobia) of snakes, spiders, and darkness. This is also an evolutionary adaptation (danger avoidance). It suggests that not just "any nature is good," but that nature contact in a safe state is important.Difficulty of Scientific Proof
This is only a "hypothesis," and a "nature-loving gene" has not been identified at the genetic level. However, as a tendency universally seen across cultures and eras, it is supported by many psychologists and biologists.IKIMON and Biophilia
IKIMON helps people reconfirm their connection with nature.- Rediscovering Curiosity: Through the app, touching the diverse forms of familiar creatures stimulates the curiosity (sense of wonder) for nature that we overlook in daily life.
- Enriching Urban Life: Even in urban life surrounded by concrete, we provide opportunities to notice the small nature at our feet, nurturing spiritual richness.
- Biophilic Experience: The experience itself of touching the organic beauty of organisms aims to be a pleasant time for users.
References
- Wilson, E. O. (1984). Biophilia. Harvard University Press.
- Kellert, S. R., & Wilson, E. O. (Eds.). (1993). The Biophilia Hypothesis. Island Press.