How 'Gaia' can help solve the Climate Crisis

'Gaia' is used by Lovelock to denote an alternative perspective on the earth system: that of the earth as a self regulating system (1979). Mary Midgley sees 'Gaia' as a solution to - what she depicts as - the 'conceptual emergency' at the roots of the climate crisis. The project will (i) excavate Midgley's understudied views on this and (ii) explicitly develop this conception of Gaia in order to demonstrate how it can serve as a solution in the way Midgley envisions. It will thus make a timely and important contribution to Midgley scholarship as well as environmental philosophy.