Mae-Wan Ho is a brilliant and interesting researcher and Dr. at the bioelectrodynamics laboratory at the Open University, UK - see the site 'Co-globalize' for links to some of her articles. In a recent article with Fritz-Abert Popp called 'Gaia and the evolution of coherence' the conclusion was:

"Living systems are thus neither the subjects alone, nor objects isolated, but both subjects and objects in a mutually communicating universe of meaning. In contrast to the neo-Darwinist point of view, their capacity for evolution depends, not on rivalry or on might in the struggle for existence. Rather, it depends on their capacity for communication. So in a sense, it is not individuals as such which are developing but living systems interlinked into a coherent whole. Just as the cells in an organism take on different tasks for the whole, different populations enfold information not only for themselves, but for all other organisms, expanding the consciousness of the whole, while at the same time becoming more and more aware of this collective consciousness. Human consciousness may have its most significant role in the development and creative expression of the collective consciousness of nature."

The last line is significant, so I repeat - 'Human consciousness may have its most significant role in the development and creative expression of the collective consciousness of nature.'

Again, another example of our intimate relationship with the holistic world around us.