How to H.E.A.L the world

‘H.E.A.L with Biolophy’ invites everyone to heal the world (or attempt to).

By Sunil Appadoo

[BSc Hons –Biomedical Sciences, MSc- Applied Molecular Biology and Biotechnology]

Introduction

The world is infested with all kinds of problems and Governments, NGO’s, religious bodies and other institutions are actively dealing with them. Some problems are eradicated; some simply disappear after having done its ‘course’, some of the more stubborn ones remain to bug our life while other new ones appear. Many new NGO’s are coming to address the stubborn and the new problems. ‘H.E.A.L with Biolophy’’ is a proposal for an NGO which will address problems associated with the environment, human health and certain social problems that have their origin in genetics. H.E.A.L will use a novel interpretation of certain basic concepts of Biology (Bio- Concepts) to try to solve or attenuate the said problems.

Definitions of H.E.A.L and Biolophy

H.E.A.L is an acronym for Health, Environment, Appreciation and Love for Mankind. Biolophy is a word derived from ‘Biology’ and ‘Philosophy’. I would like it to mean ‘using Biology as a philosophy in life’.

Summary of missions

Using the concepts of Biology, H.E.A.L intends to promote:

· The Health of people.

· The preservation of the Environment

· Appreciation of all living and non-living things, of the chemical and physical mechanisms that form the basis of the Bio-phenomenon

· Love for Mankind, fraternity and sharing to decrease racial discrimination

Justification

Biology is taught as an examinable subject at school, yet we do not realise that the knowledge it imparts is the down-to-earth answer to many environmental, health, social, socio-psychological and economic problems. Nowadays, we often hear about stem cell research, genetic engineering, cloning, recombinant DNA technology, genetically modified food, genetic finger-printing, human genome project, gene therapy, protein engineering, nanotechnology, bio-fuels, biotechnology, bio-terrorism, bio-this, bio-that, here a bio, there a bio, everywhere a bio (even old Mac Donald now has his Bio-farm). We simply will not survive without knowledge of Biology.

I have always felt Biology cannot be taught only as a subject but as a tool, an ingredient for successful living. Today, that knowledge of biology is a must is an international feeling. They give it different names but it is still Biology- a rose by any other name remains a rose. It is now a political tool and infiltrates Government strategies worldwide. Biology is not simply the ‘Study of life’; it is the blood of life and it flows in the veins of all societies. Ignoring it does not mean it is not there. It has been there all the time waiting to be noticed. Unfortunately people only see when something is red and bleeping (the red signal) or to put it more bluntly, when the blood spills (bleeding). It is better late than never, though!

Governments across the world have at long last been awakened by this life-flow of warm, comforting ‘blood’. They have felt the warmth of this awakening. Has this been prompted by the heating of the globe (global warming) or the imminent cold humanity would face when oil reserves will be depleted? The answer is unimportant. What matters is that now WE, biologists, can talk. The time is ripe. Politicians and economists are willing to listen because ‘the world is changing’. In fact, the world has always kept changing, but the problem now is that, because of man’s action, it is changing too fast. The world needs healing and Governments and NGOs cannot do it alone. It is everybody’s job; everybody’s responsibility.

Mission

H.E.A.L is an invitation to heal the world. The potential is there. I can assure you that we will make Biology ‘digestible’ and ‘assimilable’. I am big-headed, you may say. But does it matter? What matters is that we help ourselves and our world.

The ‘popularization of science’ is indeed a good thing. Joël de Rosnay, who is a special advisor at the in Paris an d President of Biotics International, has been criticised for his ‘Vulgarisation’ of science. Yet, he likes the term, and perhaps rightly. It is true that some early scientists resentfully used terms such as ‘prostitution of science’. Even now it is still a fact that some professionals do not want to ‘vulgarise’ science, because they earn their money selling their knowledge and it therefore pays to keep the public ignorant.

Anyway, H.E.A.L, is not really about popularisation or vulgarisation. It is about survival, harmony and welfare. Nevertheless, the tools we will use and the difficulties we will encounter will probably be similar to the ones Joël de Rosnay so eloquently describes in his book ‘L'écologie et la vulgarisation scientifique: de l'égocitoyen à l'écocitoyen’; eco-citizen- a nice term that adapts to H.E.A.L as ‘bio-citizen.’ Our primary objective is to turn Biology into ‘cultural activity’; that is what Biolophy is about. And as culture is about survival, so is ‘Biolophy’.

H.E.A.L proposes to show how much we need biology in our life and to make it accessible to people of all social class, creed, political penchant or religion. It aims to give fundamental bio-knowledge to the general public so that we can all have a better place to live. We believe people become more responsible when they understand the ‘Why’s’ of things. Acquirement of knowledge alone is not a guarantee for voluntary change. A child does not stop playing with matches when you ask or order him to do so. He stops when he understands why it is dangerous. We want to make people understand the facts about nature. But first people have to understand why they need to understand those facts. Understanding why, I believe, will nurture the ego, that is the person will start to feel the reality of the facts. This emotion is important; it is a pre-requisite for change. Change, if we want it to last, must be voluntary. Change involves understanding and accepting the knowledge, the facts. The facts I am talking about are those we learn in Biology. So, I am not talking about an invention but a different angle of vision and application.

Many NGO’s are trying hard to help mankind have a better place to live and H.E.A.L is doing just the same thing. But the approach is different. In addition, never before have so many issues been put together under one umbrella. I reiterate the reason why; it all concerns Biology and the interactions are such that the issues cannot be separated. The world is getting sick; we are analysing the sickness; we are explaining the effects, we are patch-repairing the symptoms but leaving the causes untouched. The source of the sickness is the human mind. I sincerely believe that a sound bio-knowledge could help make a more Earth-friendly human who will also be more peace-loving, human-friendly and generous, happy, charitable and healthy.

Martin Luther King had a dream; John Lennon was a dreamer; Bob Dylan believes ‘the answer is blowing in the wind’; Mahatma Gandhi thinks ‘you must be the change you wish to see in the world’. But C.G Jung says, ‘We cannot change anything until we accept it.’ And people do not accept unless they understand. How will they understand if we do not explain?

We also need to know what and how to explain? But then again, who will do it? Mother Theresa says, ’Do not wait for leaders; do it alone, person to person.’ Alone? I found an interesting picture in a Sociology book showing a crowd and each person in the crowd is saying, ‘What can one man do?’ Many small ripples in the sea could make a mighty wave; many gentle breezes make strong wind- the wind of change. To use John Kennedy’s thought, let’s not ask what our country can do for us; let’s ask what we can do for our country and why not ...for our World! Pretentious? Perhaps. But let us try first, and judge later. Negative criticism in matters of science often only shows ignorance. It is no time for judgement, division or opposition but concerted action. Let us be ‘Bio-friends’ and work together.

In order to realise this dream it would be ideal that everyone gave a hand and participated in any way he can as per our philosophy. H.E.A.L needs all interested biologists (environmentalist, ecologist, pharmacologist, nurse, doctor, immunologist, biochemist and organic chemist, physiologist, microbiologist, nutritionist, pathologist, socio-biologist, clinical psychologist and others) to give some ideas on how to education to the lay-person (the pedagogy and the communication) and also on the preparation of material that will be available on the net somewhat like 'Wikipedia' but the articles will have the author's name. Therefore you keep your identity.

None of us knows everything in biology. We will be amazed at how much we will learn from each other. But above all, we will discover how much we need each other. We need each other because there is no biochemistry without physiology; no nutrition without biochemistry; no medicine without nutrition; no nursing without medicine; all the biological sciences are inter-related.

We need non-biologists too; graphic designers, artists, singers, film makers, publishers, computer programmers, event managers, accountants, economists, sponsors, long distance runners, antique and rally car owners, owners of printing companies, journalists, politicians, bus owners, paint makers, teachers, activists, students.

What about organisations? Yes certainly. Your endorsement and participation is most welcome. Indeed our mission overlaps that of many other NGOs. We will support and accept support from any business and other institutions that share our views.

In fact everybody can help as said Martin Luther King, Jr. ‘Everybody can be great, because anybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make your subject and your verb agree to serve.... You don't have to know the second theory of thermodynamics in physics to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love.’ And Helen Keller adds, ‘The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of tiny pushes of each honest worker.’