Simply translated it means: “Love of Life”

It is a term coined by Drs. Edward Wilson and Stephen Kellert who together edited a book entitled: The Biophilia Hypothesis (1993).

Biophilia is the innate tendency for each of us to focus on life. It is the connections that we human beings subconsciously seek with the rest of life. It postulates that we human beings, in order to live an optimal physical, psychological and spiritual life, need to live a life integrated with the full diversity of nature. We humans are dependent on nature far beyond the narrow demand for physical and material sustenance to a broader range of emotional, intellectual, and even spiritual needs. Biophilia, when we think about it, is one of those “of course” concepts. Of course - we’ve always felt this - we’ve always known this. But sometimes these “of course” concepts need articulation.

And why another award? There are already so many awards in Windsor/Essex: Business Excellence, Non-Profit Excellence, Women of the Year, Italian of the Year, Negev Award, etc. The Biophilia Award recognizes those who help us all value life; to recognize those who promote the importance of every individual living being, and of every species; those who teach us that we are all one family of life and that we all originated as stardust with the big bang.

As our friend Dr. Mary Lou Randour writes: “We are all linked together in a world of reciprocal dependence, one in which other person, animals, and elements coexist.”

Buddhism teaches us that the world is a dynamic flow of interaction and interconnection. ‘I am only relatively not you and you are only relatively not me.’ When other stands opposed to self, violence can proceed. When other is seen as self, nonviolence prevails.

As the Chinese proverb says: ‘We must consider our planet to be on loan from our children, rather than being a gift from our ancestors.’ And of course, Dr. Goodall teaches us that “We have a choice - to use the gift of our lives to make this world a better place.” - “Every individual matters; that every individual has a role to play; that every individual makes a difference.”

So our Biophilia Award is a Celebration of Our Connection with all of Life; It is a celebration of the compassion that is in each of us; It is a celebration of the opening of the doors to that compassion; of knowing that “it’s cool to care”; and that it’s OK to be unashamedly outspoken about helping other living beings.

With this award, we have recognized local community leaders from many fields - child advocates, animal activists, environmental activists. Last year, for the first time, we recognized national and international figures, Dr. Dorothy Goldin Rosenberg from the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education and Ron Kagan of the Detroit Zoo; this year, we are so honoured to be able to give our little symbol to a global heroine. There is absolutely no one on this planet that represents the ideals of biophilia better than Dr. Jane Goodall.

(Kellert, Stephen R.. Biophilia and Humanity. New York: Delta Society Conference, October, 1994; and Kellert, Stephen R. and Wilson, Edward O. The Biophilia Hypothesis. Washington, DC, Shearwater Books, 1993). Integrated

 

Click here to read more about our "Biophilia Award" and past recipients.