地球科學是宏觀的人類環境科學

The Earth Science is a Panoramic Environmental Science

陳培源(Pei-Yuan Chen)

《通識教育季刊》 2卷3期 (1995/09) Pp. 151-159

https://doi.org/10.6745/JGE.199509_2(3).0011

摘要

地球科學顧名思義是研究地球的科學，但它研究對象比傳統地質學更為寬廣，它不止關心固態地球或地球之岩石圈（傳統地質學之主要論題），它也涵蓋地球表面之水圈和大氣圈，牽涉範圍向地下擴及太空，也就是研究整體與人類生態關係密切的大自然環境。換言之，地球科學（地科）是探討地球和大自然環境運作的規律，以及各種不同的自然體系相互作用的方式，及其對於生態的影響。
故其探討範圍包含廣泛，上自天文（太陽系），中經大氣、海洋，下至地質研究，可說是一種整合不同科技的科學，它的綜合性或錯綜性便是其特點之一。
學生在通識教育上修習此類課程，是期望對於人類所賴以生存的大自然的背景和運作的規律有個正確的概念。地科教導我們了解地球的生成、結構、演化、動變等基本屬性，以及太陽系的運轉，大氣和海洋的流動，水的循環等等自然現象的因果關係。在這各種自然體系相互作用和影響交織之下所形成的人類生態環境的錯綜性。我們了解這些道理，使吾人對地球上各樣式和多變的自然景色和現象，能知其然也能知其所以然，可以達到我們求知和解惑的目的。人類在地球上如何能保持良好的人和地球的互動關係是另一重要課題。我們應了解地球運作的慣性，嚴守自然界的安全規律，我們要知道如何適度的利用地球資源，也要知道地球對於此被利用程度的反應，若過度破壞自然環境或生態的平衡狀況必導使自然的反彈，釀成大禍。對於地球上的山崩、地震、火山之類之地質災變，能知其前因和後果，知所警惕或預防。人類和大地相處之道，是關係人類未來興衰存滅的命運，是一種很重要的課題。

並列摘要

Earth Science is a basic knowledge of physical earth and how it functions. It is defined as a science of earth with a broader sense than the science of geology. It concerns not only the solid earth (or lithosphere), as geology generally does, but also deals with the outer fluid circles of the earth, including hydrosphere and atmosphere. Thus it displays a panoramic view of the earth, as well as its position in the solar system, as looking down from outer space. In the other word, it is also a science emphasizes the interrelationship among the various fields concerned with human's physical or natural environment. It synthesizes interdepartmental knowledge of different disciplines, including geology, physical geography, meteorology, oceanography, bioscience, and astronomy.
Earth Science may help the students who taking the course for general education to learn or pursuit the knowledge of the natural law concering: how the earth is working. Through this discipline ones may understand better the processes of human ecological environment, to understand the relationships between human and their geological habitats. It can also help the students to answer the puzzle natural problems associated with using the earth and the earth's response to the using. How can we live in balance with our natural environment on the earth is an important topics of the course. These things are closely related to the destiny of human being, will they be flourishing or become extinct in the future world.