One clue to understanding the differences between the biologists, paleontologists, and anthropologists who speculated on extraterrestrials is suggested by noting who wrote on the subject. But within this diversity, reasons for differences become more apparent when we see how views about extraterrestrials can be related to the differential emphasis placed on modern evolutionary theory by scientists of various disciplines. A striking contrast is seen in writings of nonphysical scientists, who have held more widely differing views. His work forces readers to participate in his project of reexamining our own mental and cultural world.įor many astronomers, the progressive development of life has been seen as a natural occurrence given proper environmental conditions on a planet: even though such beings would not be identical to humans, there would be significant parallels.

Eiseley's writings urge that humanity reconnect with our animal past in order to respect the natural world from which we came. In this he anticipates the ecocentric position that is becoming necessary in the era following the Industrial Revolution that is increasingly being recognized as the Anthropocene. He argues that modern man has fallen out of nature and become a planet destroyer who causes the death and extinction of nonhuman forms of life. Rather than accepting the doxa of modern mechanical science, he uses his knowledge as an archeologist as well as his personal experience to find new angles from which to view the universe and homo sapiens' place within it. A scientist who writes critiques of his contemporaries' scientific practices, Loren Eiseley challenges the views of science, nature, and man that were current at the time he wrote. Son oeuvre force le lecteur à participer à son projet de rénovation de notre univers mental et culturel. Les écrits de Eiseley pressent l'humanité de renouer avec notre passé animal de façon à respecter l'ordre naturel dont nous sommes issus. De ce fait, il anticipe le point de vue écocentrique qui devient nécessaire dans la période qui a fait suite à la révolution industrielle, période de plus en plus désignée comme l'anthropocène.

Il pense que l'homme moderne s'est dénaturé en devenant le destructeur de la planète, entrainant la mort et l'extinction des formes de vie non humaines. Plutôt que d'accepter la doxa des sciences mécaniques modernes, il utilise son savoir d'archéologue ainsi que son expérience personnelle pour trouver de nouvelles ouvertures sur l'univers et sur la place de l'homo sapiens en son sein. Il remet en cause les thèses sur la science, la nature et l'homme qui avaient cours à son époque. Loren Eiseley se pose en scientifique qui critique les pratiques scientifiques de ses contemporains.

Loren Eiseley by Loren Eiseley