Abstract

Humankind from Neolithic time uses the biosphere solely as a resource for own development (but doesn’t describe it as a unit of life). Anthropocentric concept of the biosphere only as "the receptacle of life” and as inexhaustible resource is simplistic and inadequate. The biosphere is a sovereign unit of life that unites all living matter, including humans, in a common network - the "web of life". This web is existing physically on the planet in the form of inert (lifeless), half inert (ocean, soil, atmosphere) and living matter. It supports now "biosocial substance" on the planet, but may become the “intelligence sphere" i.e. noosphere. Anthropocentric philosophy (which is based on the paradigm of Neolithic culture) leads to a global environmental crisis of the biosphere, because our technology for using non-renewable resources are violating the natural processes and destroying dynamical equilibrium in the biosphere. One of the reasons of the ecological crisis is that living organisms of the biosphere can’t use and remake many pollutant substances produced by modern humankind. Moreover, the humans change the ratio between main components of biosphere (producer – consument – reducent). To restore the ruined by humankind the planetary ecosystem balance it is necessary to interrupt the pollution of environment as well as to return removed branches to the biosphere cycle. If humankind will perform in the biosphere not only the consument functions, but also reducent and producer ones, then it may turn from insouciant user into a “caring owner”, the “brain” of the biosphere. Then mankind will undoubtedly require less energy and mineral resources, inefficient use of which (97–98 % becomes wastes) worsens essentially a life-supporting functions of the biosphere. Already at the present level of knowledge the task of formulation of the system of principles (postulates), which concern the biosphere functioning is feasible. It can help in practical activity, detailing the directions of repair and reconstruction of disturbed and ruined natural ecosystems at local, regional and global levels. Apart it can be the theoretical justification of practical actions to restore the dynamic equilibrium of the biosphere. Our concept of “crisis management of the biosphere”overcomes methodological inconsistency of the popular concept of “sustainable development”, in which the biosphere, as a unit of life, are not considered at all. The development of the concept of “crisis management of the biosphere” allows us to formulate the paradigm of “controlled evolution of the biosphere” – a set of scientific conceptions and notions, which implies the accomplishment by humankind all basic ecological functions of live (producer – consument – reducent) as well as restoring of natural biosphere balance for the flows of the matter. The paradigm of controlled evolution of the biosphere leads to the creation of new human culture and seems to be a step in the development of the idea of the transition from the biosphere to the noosphere. It is possible this paradigm can become a leading paradigm of development of humankind for the foreseeable future. Among the certain elements of this paradigm it may be emphasized (not in order of importance): – creation of highly productive semi-natural ecosystems; – creation of new forms of living organisms; – transition “from monocultures to polycultures” in agriculture; – transition “from hunting to harvesting” as regards to exploitation of all living natural resources; – transition from the "struggle" with undesirable species to "manage" them; – expansion of the range of cultivated and domesticated species; – securely isolation of "eternal" pollutants; – protection of the human being from anthropogenic toxicants; – saving of the biodiversity. In the paradigm of controlled evolution of the biosphere, the humankind is considered not only as main object, but also as the subject of management. The humankind has to repair destroyed ecosystems and to elaborate the life-supporting technologies for biosphere and for itself. Then it will be the noosphere. Would this way be realized, it depends on first of all from the depth of understanding of the scale and consequences of the anthropogenic violation of natural biosphere processes, and secondly – from the ability to undertake collective efforts in the field of crisis management by the biosphere.