From a Times piece about “The Biophilia Hypothesis” by Edward O. Wilson, who coined the term biophilia, and Stephen R. Kellert:According to the hypothesis, for which there is some evidence, survival and well-being first depended on how well humans coped with nature. An advantage was gained by learning quickly to recognize threats, like snakes and enclosed spaces where predators hide, and benefits, like partly open, livable spaces. Biophilia, including the awe attached to snakes and wolves, is the response to this recognition.
In a world of cities, the need to learn these responses has diminished, the scientists say. But the genetic predisposition remains, and biophilia is activated in young people when they are exposed to nature. Some scientists fear it may not always be activated in urban settings, and that the loss will result not only in emotional deprivation, but also indifference or outright hostility to nature at a time when conservationists are striving to save it.