Supercreature Theory

A person (a macro life form) generally considers themself to be a single entity, yet a person is actually a conglomerate of micro life forms; a zoo of individual cells, other bateria, viruses, and parasites that co-operate, interact or even battle. Together those micro life forms create a person, a new separate being with behaviour totally different to that of the micro life forms. The macro life form is usually totally unaware of the micro life forms, and the micro life forms (as far as we know) lack any knowledge or awareness of the macro life form they form.

Indeed, even bacteria are made partially of yet smaller life forms, organelles, which act a little like organs and were once independent life forms in their own right.

My concept is that a new large creature exists, a new life form that may or may not be sentient and is made up of the interaction of all of the macro life forms on the planet. Each person, animal and plant on Earth forms a part of this "supercreature". It would be as unaware of us as we are of it.

Many aspects of life on Earth are collective. There is undoubtedly a collective memory. Historical events that no individual remembers, such as ancient battles, are preserved there. The record of a meteorite impact might be stored as a crater. Collective will can result in world wars or new achivements and lead to new government policies, by using a sort of global peer-pressure.

The Internet itself might be a life form. However lacking in intelligence, its networks are as sophisiticated as organic brains.

Mark Sheeky, 5 Dec 2007