Design Principle #5: Chronosophy

In a recent speech given at Lawrence University, Geology professor Marcia Bjornerud presented a “list of five design principles that seem to be signatures of the House of Earth.” The fifth design principle she lists is Chronosophy.

Bjornerud defines chronosophy as “the wisdom that comes with knowing and embracing Time, not only the past that came before us but also the future that will play out without us.” Geological processes occur slowly and changes to the Earth and the life it supports accrue only after immense amounts of time. Though we may acknowledge the age of the Earth, the slowness of mountain building and canyon carving, and the gradual evolution of a species, we somehow think we humans are time-immune. But the fact is that we are of the Earth; we are not in any place of privilege. We, like Earth, are subject to time’s passing. Comparing the geologic past to a Beethoven symphony, Bjornerud says, “The essential lessons of the geologic past lies in the gradual unfolding, interwoven rhythms of its many movements, with short motifs scampering over tones that resonate across the entire span of Earth’s history, too low for us to hear in our life spans. The important lesson of the geologic past is not merely that the Earth is old and we are not, but that we, like the Earth, are defined—that is, given shape—by time.” And she adds further, “for my part I am comforted by the knowledge that we live on a very old, durable planet, and not an immature, untested and possibly fragile one.”

I, too, take comfort in this knowledge. However, it is hard to deny that our society as a whole fears time’s passing, fears death, fears aging. We also tend to favor quick fixes over long-term solutions. But, as Bjornerud says, “the most pressing challenges we face—climate change, impending water shortages, multi-generational poverty—will require us, finally, to look honestly at time.” These problems, among others, cannot be addressed and fixed in a fiscal year or a U.S. presidential term. These problems require long-term, cooperative solutions—solutions that, while likely to be more pragmatic and sustainable, are nonetheless unpopular. “Those who dare to take seriously our responsibility to future generations generally find themselves outnumbered, outshouted, and out of office,” Bjornerud states. The despair over the crises of our time has led some to propose space colonization as a viable solution to extending the human race; somehow, rather than finding a way to live in harmony with the Earth and all its creatures, we think we should continue with business-as-usual because we’ll always have space as the next frontier. “[H]ow can we imagine that we might prosper on a planetary body with which we have no evolutionary connection?” Bjornerud asks. “We haven’t even learned to take care of each other on this old, friendly, comfortable planet.”

“Chronosophy ought to inform everything we do,” Bjornerud argues. And I tend to agree. With the Climate Conference in Copenhagen upon us, let us all hope that this all-important design principle informs any decisions which may be made. We owe it to the planet to listen to its time-tested wisdom.

To view the video of Bjornerud’s inspiring speech, go to: http://www.lawrence.edu/news/convos/09-10/bjornerud.shtml