Butterflies have always been the symbol of regeneration and transformation. Humanity is now in the midst of profound changes that could lead to a new civilization. Yes, humanity is on the verge of a great leap in its evolution as a biological species! And this trend is driven by our decisions and actions.
The Butterfly symbol reminds us that we live in an emerging world in which our decisions and actions really matter! It reminds us that we live in a world of connectivity, that we are not alone, but together. In partnership we can achieve much more! We live in a plentiful Univers and not exploitation and competition will bring us this wealth, but collaboration and partnership!
During the past twenty-five years, scientists have challenged conventional views of evolution and the organization of living systems and have developed new theories with revolutionary philosophical and social implications.
The new paradigm may be called a holistic worldview, seeing the world as an integrated whole rather than a dissociated collection of parts. It may also be called an ecological view, if the term ‘ecological' is used in a much broader and deeper sense than usual. Deep ecological awareness recognizes the fundamental interdependence of all phenomena and the fact that, as individuals and societies, we are all embedded in (and ultimately dependent on) the cyclical processes of nature.
While classical science insists that the behavior of a complex system can be best analyzed in terms of the properties of the parts, the new systems thinking reverses the equation by showing that the properties of the parts are not intrinsic but can be understood only within the context of the larger whole. Systems thinking means thinking in context. Ultimately there are no parts at all. What we call a part is merely a pattern in an inseparable web of relationships.
Living organisms and their environments are best understood as integrated wholes. The theory of living systems provides a conceptual framework for the link between ecological communities and human communities. Both are living systems that exhibit the same basic principles of organization. They are networks that are organizationally closed, but open to the flows of energy and resources; their structures are determined by their histories of structural changes; they are intelligent because of the cognitive dimensions inherent in the processes of life. We need to revitalize our communities so that the principles of ecology become manifest in them as principles of education, management, and politics.
As the twenty-first century unfolds, a new scientific conception is emerging. It is a unified view that integrates, for the first time, life’s biological, cognitive, social, and economic dimensions. At the forefront of contemporary science, the universe is no longer seen as a machine composed of elementary building blocks. We have discovered that the material world, ultimately, is a network of inseparable patterns of relationships; that the planet as a whole is a living, self-regulating system. Evolution is no longer seen as a competitive struggle for existence, but rather a cooperative dance in which creativity and constant emergence of novelty are the driving forces. And with the new emphasis on complexity, networks, and patterns of organization, a new science of qualities is slowly emerging.
Web of Life Butterfly simply tell us that we are not separated from our Mother Nature. We are Nature. And if we want to build a healthy civilization, that must to be integrated in Nature, to be after Nature's model. Nature is organized like a web of life. Our new society must be the same: a web of life for all of us.