UNESCO/IUBS/EUBIOS BIOETHICS DICTIONARY - "G"s

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

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GAIA: The Greek goddess of the Earth; 2. an hypothesis proposed by James Lovelock that posits the Earth behaves as a super-organism with multiple feedbacks among organisms and physical processes regulating climate and Earth surface conditions to within a relatively narrow range conducive to life. Lovelock is an English atmospheric scientist, who presented in 1969 his revolutionary Gaia hypothesis - a hypothesis still the subject of considerable scientific interest and debate (see GAIA HYPOTHESIS). (IP+RW)

GAIA HYPOTHESIS: the Gaia theory of the Earth is a post-Darwinian evolutionary theory, which posits a set of homeostatic mechanisms as devices for self-maintenance of the Earth’s  environment. In other words, instead of passively riding the planet, living things became fully-fledged symbiotic partners in the shaping of the Earth, its allenges the reductionist view of the world by proposing that the world is one living system where living things transform each other in ways that actively maince of life. The essence of this proposition is that the physical and chemical conditions of the surface of the earth, the atmosphere and the oceans, are conti by the presence of life itself. This view is in direct challenge to the conventional Darwinian wisdom which holds that life adapted to the existing planetary theory is supported to the extent where it can now be demonstrated, with the aid of numerical models and computers, that a diverse web of predators and prey faystem than a few more self-contained species, or a shorter food chain of very limited mix. Colloquially, the sum of a series of complex systems (biodiversity) han the sum of its parts. What becomes immediately evident is that the Gaia hypothesis is a powerful challenge to our ethnocentric view of the world and, if inct as one, we have to reassess our environmental responsibilities in this context. We have to take care not to violate the principles of sustainability which a global commons of air, water and soil; we have to become fully participating partners within ecosystems where diversity, not unity, is the basis of health (see ANIMISM & BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLE).(IP)

GAME THEORY: ‘Game theory’ is the stu games of chance, strategy games and war gaming. Standard game theories include ‘chicken’, ‘prisoner’s dilemma’ and ‘minimax’, and military game theories include ‘STAGE’ (‘Simulation of Total Atomic Global Exchange’) or the US Army’s ‘TACSPIEL’ (divisional tactics) and ‘AGILE’ (counter-insurgency). The ‘game’ is defined by the rules governing moves, examples including conflict, coordination, cooperation, coalition and positive-sum games. ‘Game theory’ is a scary term in some ways, in a world where actors treat internet, economic and military affairs as a big ‘game’ whilst safely shielded from the real-life consequences of their actions. (See STRATEGY, HEURISTICS, FUZZY LOGIC, BOOLEAN LOGIC, UNCERTAINTY, PRISONER’S DILEMMA) (MP)

GAMETE INTRAFALLOPIAN TRANSFER (GIFT): A technique of medically assisted conception in which mature oocytes are surgically removed from a woman's body and then reintroduced, together with sperm, through a catheter threaded into the fallopian tubes, where it is hoped fertilization will take place. (IP)

GAMETE: Mature male or female reproductive cell with a haploid set of chromosomes (in humans there are 23 chromosomes); that is, a sperm or ovum. (IP)

GAMETOPATHY: disease of gametes (sperm and eggs) resulting in physiological disturbances (Gk gamos meaning marriage and pathos meaning disease). (IP)

GANJA: See MARIJUANA.

GATT: abbreviation for "general agreement on trade and tariffs" aimed at reducing border barriers and restrictions. Also called free trade agreement and is opposed to protectionism. (IP)

GDP: See GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT
.
GEEP: Animal (strictly a CHIMERA (q.v.)) formed by fusing together Goat and shEEP cells. (MR)

GENBANK: An organization located in Alamas, USA which is repository of DNA  sequence databases. (See BIOINFORMATICS) (JA)

GENDER: (Latin genus 'kind') the classification of the sex of a person roughly corresponding to masculine, feminine, ambivalent or neuter according to the demonstration of the continuum from maleness to femaleness. (See SEX; HOMOSEXUAL; TRANSSEXUAL). (IP)

GENE: The fundamental physical and functional unit of heredity. A gene is an ordered sequence of nucleotides located in a particular position on a particular chromosome. Length of the triple code in DNA - determines the sequence of amino acids in a protein. (See GENE EXPRESSION). (DM, JA)

GENERALIZATIONS: Applicability to other broader situations, beyond the specific research design, and across a diversity of different systems. Generality or a generalization implies a common theme or average measure of similarity across a range of subjects, and indicates the breadth of relevance of certain processes, philosophical ideas or research. ‘General knowledge’ refers to common wide-ranging knowledge, but with facts readily accessible in academic literature and the internet, today a ‘generalized’ education IDISCIPLINARY) (MP)

GENERIC DRUGS: 1. where the name of a particular drug also describes its chemistry; such as penicillin or tetracycline 2. pertaining to a substance, product or drug that is no longer protected by trademark and where this product, identical or closely related to the original, is placed on the market by a manufacturer other than the holder of the original patent. No new clinical trials are required by the new supplier as it is assumed that the generic drug is safe and effective; thus, typically, these drugs cost a fraction of the original price. Generic drugs are also called "me-too" drugs (Latin genus kind). (IP)

GENETIC CODE: The sequence of base pairs in DNA providing information to form proteins. (DM)

GENE CONSTRUCT: A gene sequence prepared under laboratory conditions for transgenic transfer where the desired characteristics will be expressed. (JA)

GENE CHIP: An array of probes of nucleic acid on a chip for rapid assays of genetic variation, and mutated DNA sequences in an organism.  Gene chips may allow for the diagnosis of all the genes of a genome in one test, and analysis is done by computer technology. (DM)

GENE DIAGNOSTIC TESTING: The presence of a faulty gene can be detected by techniques using the results on the gene structure e.g. association of BRCA1 with breast cancer. (JA).

GENE EXPRESSION: The process by which a gene's blueprint is converted into the structures present and operating in the cell. Expressed genes include those that are transcribed into mRNA and then translated into protein and those that are transcribed into RNA but not translated into protein (e.g., transfer and ribosomal RNAs). Appearance of a phenotypic characteristic specified by a gene like the shape of a fruit/color of a seed (DM, JA)

GENE FAMILIES: Groups of closely related genes that make similar products.

GENE GUN: a method for introducing foreign particles or genes into cells. The accelerating particles have a diameter sufficiently small to penetrate the surface membranes and be retained in a preselected cell without killing the cell. The idea is for the gene to be functionally incorporated into the interior of the cell without disrupting normal gene sequences (see GENE THERAPY). (IP)

GENE KNOCKOUT: An organism that has been genetically modified so that one gene is knocked out, or dysfunctional, for use in biomedical research of gene function. (DM)

GENE PATENTING: There has been controversy over the issuance of patents to nucleic acid sequences, and article 4 of the Universal Declaration on the Human genome and Human Rights, approved by all members of UNESCO in 1997 states "The genome in its natural state shall not be patented". In considering DNA as an assert or a property the following three arguments have been raised in a Nuffield Bioethics Council Report. 1. “Patents that assert rights over DNA sequences, in particular human DNA sequences, should not be allowed by virtue of the special status es should not be allowd because they do not meet the legal criteria for patenting. 3. patents that assert rights over DNA sequences shounces for healthcare and research related to healthcare.” (JA, DM)

GENE POOL: The sum total of all the different GENES (q.v.) and forms of genes (ALLELES (q.v.)) found in a POPULATION (q.v.) or other collection of organisms within a SPECIES (q.v.). So the gene pool contains all the genetic variation found among the organisms in question. (MR)

GENE PRODUCT: The biochemical material, either RNA or protein, made by a gene. The amount of gene product is used to measure how active a gene is; abnormal amounts can be correlated with disease-causing genes. (DM)

GENE THERAPY: Used without qualification means the genetic modification of body cells of an individual patient, directed to alleviating disease in that patient. See somatic gene therapy and germ line gene therapy. (See SOMATIC-CELL GENE THERAPY; IN UTERO GENE THERAPY) (JA)

GENE TRANSFER: refers to the spread of genetic material through natural genetic mechanisms. Little is known about the frequency of genetic exchange in Nature. Recent concerns are about outcrossing to wild varieties of genetically engineered plants and risk of transfer of foreign DNA across to insects, birds and mammals which normally consume some parts of the genetically modified organism and its long-term impact on those species. (see GMOs) (IP)

GENERA: Plural term for genus. (See GENUS).

GENERAL ADAPTATION SYNDROME (GAS): was first described by Canadian physician Hans Selye in 1956 and describes the link between stress (whether physical or psychological) and nervous-hormonal activation resulting in the release of adrenaline (also called the fight-or-flight reaction), cortisol and other hormones involved in the emergency feedback loop to changing environmental influences. Since the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis is involved in the homeostatic adaptation to environmental and metabolic change, stress is necessary for continued adaptation, and in non-threatening situations is also the spice of life. Stress is harmful only when it's prolonged and ineffective where it can lead to degenerative conditions such as cardiovascular disease. Biologically, the essential thing is that the body must be prepared for changing circumstances by the initiation of an appropriate GAS response (see DISEASES OF ADAPTATION, STRESS, POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER; EUSTRESS; DISTRESS). (IP)

GENERATION: 1. Production, reproduction; the process of bringing something into being (e.g. the conception of offspring). 2. People in a social demographic having approximately the same age, perhaps also correlating with a certain outlook or attitude (e.g. the grandparent's generation). 3. A successive period in the reproductive evolution of a family lineage (e.g. about 35 years for humans). A generation is best measured not as the age of first breeding, but as the average age of the active parents in a population. (See GENERATION GAP, GENESIS) (MP)

GENERATION GAP: 1. The average length of time between successive generations of a population. 2. Perceived differences in the attitudes, opinions, behaviors and concerns of successive generations. The generation gap is created by shifts in philosophical frame of reference between age groups which have grown up in divergent avenues of social, cultural and technological evolution. This age barrier may be broken down using communication, curiosity and tolerance, and the avoidance of age-related habitual patterns and ingrained belief systems. (See GENERATION) (MP)

GENESIS: (Greek: gignesthai 'to be born') 1. Origin, first beginning. 2. The first book in the Old Testament of the Holy Bible of the Judeo-Christian faiths. The Book of Genesis begins with divine creation (Genesis 1.1: "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth"), including the first humans Adam and Eve, created in God's image but banished from the Garden of Eden for eating from the tree of knowledge of good and evil. (See OLD TESTAMENT, TORAH, ORIGINAL SIN) (MP + JA)

GENERAL AGREEMENT ON TRADE AND TARIFFS: See GATT.

GENERAL THEORY OF ADAPTATION: See STRESS.

GENETIC: Connected with the genetic system of heredity,  e.g. Genes. (JA)

GENETIC ABNORMALITY: Due to mutation,  a gene/or a protein is altered in such a way that the gene expression is altered and the protein is unable to function  normally. There are about 5,700 known genetic abnormality and genetic testing can reveal the disorder in about 300 cases. (JA)

GENETIC ALGORITHMS: Genetic or evolutionary algorithms, pioneered by John Holland, are sets of computer instructions which emulate aspects of evolution and genetic biology such as self-organization, replication, heredity and adaptation to their environment. Genetic algorithms form the basis of programming which emulates life as part of the ‘bottom up’ approach to artificial life, along with cellular automata and artificial neural networks. (See ARTIFICIAL LIFE, ARTIFICIAL NEURAL NETWORKS, CELLULAR AUTOMATA, ALGORITHM) (MP)

GENETIC CODE: The sequence of nucleotides, coded in triplets along the mRNA, which determines the sequence of amino acids in protein synthesis (e.g. UGC = cystine). The DNA sequence of a gene can be used to predict the mRNA sequence, and the genetic code can in turn be used to predict the amino acid sequence. Universal, common in all living organisms. (DM, JA)

GENETIC CONSULTATION: The purpose of genetic consultation is to deal with issues that relate to the suitability of the test for caring an individual person’s  concern, such as the interpretation of the result and to arrange a clinical referral, should that prove necessary, proving appropriaxtent of genetic consultation will vary for each genetic test. It should include taking a family history and those elements of genetic so discussion of reproductive options where relevant and management plans for the patient and the family in a sensitive, objective and "non directive " way. (JA)

GENETIC COUNSELING: A process of consultation by which information is imparted to individuals or families affected by or at risk of a genetic disorder. It includes information on the nature of the disorder; the size and extent of genetic risks, the options, including genetic testing, that may help clarify the risks; the available preventive and therapeutic measures and the provision of psychological, social and practical support. In the context of genetic testing it may include responding to the concerns of individuals referred and their families, discussing the consequences of a test and enabling them to choose the optimal decision for themselves but not determining a particular course of action. (JA)

GENETIC DETERMINISM: Doctrine or theory that the genetic make-up of an individual absolutely characterises (i.e. determines) its appearance (i.e. PHENOTYPE (q.v.)). Strictly, the theory is entirely invalid in that a sufficient change in the environment (e.g. the absence of any water) is sufficient to prevent the phenotype being observed (in the case of the absence of water, because the organism will have died). However, the theory is of use in that certain characteristics, e.g. natural iris colour in humans, have a much stronger genetic component to them than do certain other characteristics, e.g. language spoken. At the same time, certain phenotypes which might be thought to be 'genetically determined' , e.g. the 'genetic disease' of PHENYLKETONURIA (q.v.), can be almost entirely avoided by appropriate changes in the environment, i.e. childhood diet in the case of phenylketonuria. (MR)

GENETIC DIAGNOSIS: See PRENATAL DIAGNOSIS, PREIMPLANTATION GENETIC DIAGNOSIS.

GENETIC DISEASE: Afflictions which are due to defects in the genetic endowment of a person. They may be the direct consequences of defects in single genes; or in whole chromosomes, part of which may be lost, duplicated or misplaced; or due to the interaction of multiple genes and external factors in fetal development. Later in life such interactions appear to be the basis of many of the common serious disorders, such as heart disease, diabetes and cancer. (see GENETIC DISORDERS, DISORDER GENETIC) (JA)

GENETIC DISORDER: A malfunction or a disability caused due to a genetic factor, which results in the manifestation of human diseases. E.g. a). phenylketoneuria b). Congenital hypothyroidism  c). Haemoglobinopathy. See GENETIC TESTING OF NEW BORN, MONOGENIC DISORDERS AND MULTI FACTORIAL DISORDER. (JA)

GENETIC DIVERSITY: One of the three diversities in the biosphere (habitat diversity, biodiversity, genetic diversity) Indicates the enormous variety of genes - DNA sequence- found in organisms In humans there are about 100,000 genes and in plants 80,000 genes. Totally about 10 to the power of 9. (JA, IP)

GENETIC ENGINEERING: Altering the genetic composition of a living organism by technological means based on recombinant DNA technology. This can be altering the gene sequence, addition, substitution, deletion, avoids natural mating and occurrence of natural genetic recombination during meiosis. Has contributed to the understanding of genetic diversity useful in the conservation for plants, animals and microorganisms. An umbrella term, powerful tool for manipulating genetic material of any organism for making GMOs, gene therapy. Useful in biotechnological industry. Also known as targeted genetics, recombinant DNA, manipulation (see BIOTECH AND BIOTECHNOLOGY). (DM, JA)

GENETIC ENGINEERING APPROVAL COMMITTEE (GEAC):  A Competent authority of the Department of Environment, Forest and Wildlife for approval of activities involving large scale use of hazardous microorganism and recombinant in research and industrial production from the environmental angle. The committee shall also be responsible for approval or proposals relating to the release of genetically engineered organism and products into the environment including experimental field trials. (JA)

GENETIC EPIDEMIOLOGY: the study of the distribution of disease in groups of relatives and ethnic populations and the identification of the genes responsible. Many diseases have both genetic and environmental components and a particular genetic defect may increase a person’s  susceptibility to disease and its expression mayd culturally similar ones, in order to identify the susceptibility genes for common disease states. (see EPIDEMIOLOGY; GENETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY) (IP)

GENETIC FREEDOM: Phrase coined by Darryl Macer in 1990. The freedom to bring about the conception of a child with any characters, be they good or bad, desired or undesired. Genetic freedom should be protected from influences that limit choices, within the framework of a healthy life. (DM)

GENETIC HAEMOCHROMATOSIS: is a genetic condition, where recessive condition the gene defects identified occur relatively frequently in the population at large but the number of individuals affected with clinical symptoms is low since many people with the gene defect do not go on to develop the condition. (JA)

GENETIC INFORMATION: A person’s  genetic information can be obtained by genetic testing, physical examination, from the records of past medical interventions/treatments and by a person’s  genetic status. Officials in health care profession, in health care institutions, researchers, employers, insurance company, legal/law enforcement autha person. (JA)

GENETIC INTERVENTION: General term for the modification of inheritable characteristics of individuals or populations through various social mechanisms and/or biomedical technologies. (DM)

GENETIC LINKAGE MAP: A map of the relative positions of genetic loci on a chromosome, determined on the basis of how often the loci are inherited together. Distance is measured in centimorgans. (DM)

GENETIC MATERIAL: The genetic material contain in a nucleus of an organism, commonly referred to as the Genome where the DNA contains the blue print for genotypic and phenotypic expression of an organism. The chromosome contains the DNA and the DNA the genes. The complex set up which is concerned with heredity. (JA)

GENETIC MODIFICATION: Modifying the genetic makeup of an organism with direct transfer of a foreign gene. (JA+PW)

GENETIC REGISTER: A computer based system of storage of genetic information of people, subject to Data Protection Act. Access restriction to only those specifically responsible for the register. (JA)

GENETIC SCREENING: Analysis of a cohort of genotypes for the presence or absence of a particular DNA sequence, or gene. To examine total population to assess the prevalence, pattern of disease spread of a genetic disease. (DM, JA)

GENETIC STATUS: It indicates the genetic condition of a person whether there are any genetic abnormality in a person. Three types of genetic status may be recognized. (i)  a monogenetic condition in which a gene if present or absent may create a genetic condition which may be expressed or presymptomatic in nature. (ii) When a trait is controlled by one or more genes different types of environmental stimuli may induce difference gene response. E.g a mutation which lacks enough power to induce a phenotypic expression. (iii) a person may carry one defective copy of a gene but the healthy copy of a gene may dominate and the person may not suffer any ill effect. (JA)

GENETIC SUSCEPTIBILITY: A genetic risk for developing a disease. The disease may be simple or complex, and the chance of actually getting the condition or disease ranges from 1-100% between genes and individuals. (DM)

GENETIC TEST: Genetic testing is a part of diagnosis in pediatric practice. Tests that are carried out to detect the presence or absence of, or change in, a particular gene or chromosome, or a change in a gene product, in relation to a genetic disorder. There are a number of tests such as Diagnostic Genetic Testing, Presymptomatic Genetic Testing, Susceptibility Testing and Carrier Testing. (JA)

GENETIC TESTING OF NEW BORNS: New born human beings are being tested in most industrialised countries, for the following genetic disorders:  a).phenylketoneuria,  b) Congenital hypothyroidism,  c) Haemoglobinopathy,  d) Galacctosemia,  e) Maple syrup urine disorder,  f) Haemocysteinuria,  g) Biotinidase dieficiency,  h) Tyrosinemia, and recentlconfirmed, facilities for further treatment should be made possible. Parental guidance is recommended. (JA)

GENETIC THERAPY: See GENE THERAPY.

GENETIC TRANSFER: Artificial transfer of gene, unrelated/synthetic DNA into another species. (JA)

GENETIC VARIATION: The way in which different organisms within a species (or between species) have different DNA sequences, and allelic variation in their genes. (DM)

GENETIC MODIFICATION: The process of transfer of genes across organisms irrespective of taxonomic distinctions e.g. from Plant to animals- microorganism- human beings. (DM)

GENETICS: A branch of biology dealing with genes, variations and heredity. Gregor Mendel is considered the father of Genetics. The science of the inheritance of characteristics. The term 'genetics' was coined by William Bateson in 1905, five years after Mendel's pioneering work of the 1860s was rediscovered. (JA+MR)

GMOs: Genetically modified organism - containing foreign genes, Transgenic organisms, currently called Living Modified organisms (LMOs) (JA)

GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS: See GMOs.

GENETICALLY MODIFIED VIRUS: Newly-developed strains of virus created by genetic engineering for specialized purposes such as biological control. For example, Australian research has genetically modified strains of virus to interfere with the ova of introduced mice and rabbits to render them sterile. New Zealand researchers meanwhile have designed a similar virus targeting possums, which are native to Australia. Ethical and ecological concerns include the potential for trans-national spread, potential impacts on related endemic mammals, and the grave avenue of ethno-terrorism and genetically-specific bioweapons. (MP)

GENETICS: The study of the patterns of inheritance of specific traits. Study of genetic systems, e.g. Gene, chromosomes, nucleus. (DM, JA)

GENETHICS: a recombinant word that splices genetics and ethics to capture their conceptual inseparability. First used by David Suzuki, a Canadian professor of genetics and public educator. (IP)

GENEVA CONVENTIONS: The 1949 Geneva Conventions I-IV provide legal codes on the humane care and treatment of: Convention I - sick and wounded combatants, irrespective of race, religion or politics; Convention II - shipwrecked or wounded at sea; Convention III - prisoners of war, not to be used as hostages, labor, experimental subjects or torture; and Convention IV - protections and rights for civilians during war. The Geneva Conventions were followed up by Geneva Convention Protocols I and II in 1977. These international laws will have their teeth strengthened by international war law institutions such as the International Criminal Court. (See GENEVA PROTOCOLS, HAGUE CONVENTIONS, INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAW, INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT) (MP)

GENEVA PROTOCOLS: The 1977 Geneva Convention Protocols I and II were an important addition to the Geneva Conventions of 1949. Protocol I refers to limits to the rights of parties to choose the means of warfare, prohibition of weapons causing superfluous suffering, and prohibition of means of warfare which cause widespread or long-term damage to the natural environment. Protocol II includes humane treatment of victims of non-international armed conflicts. (See GENEVA CONVENTIONS, HAGUE CONVENTIONS) (MP)

GENITALS: The reproductive areas and organs of animals. (DM)

GENITAL MUTILATION: see FEMALE GENITAL MUTILATION.

GENOCENTRISM: the belief that the gene is at the center of all things. (IP)

GENOCIDE: Genocide is any political or military act committed with the intent of partially or wholly destroying a particular ethnic, cultural, religious or national population. It includes killing members of the group, causing serious mental/bodily harm, inflicting destructive conditions for life, imposing birth-prevention measures or forcibly transferring children on the basis of their race. It was the first of the war crimes to attract international legal condemnation with the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide. Conventional warfare and the use of force between nations are not necessarily genocide when directed at a political state rather than a specific racial or cultural group. (See EXTERMINATION, WAR CRIMES, CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY, ETHNIC CLEANSING, GENEVA CONVENTIONS, INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT) (MP)

GENOME: All the genetic material in the chromosomes of a particular organism; its size is generally given as its total number of base pairs. Weighs about 200th billionth of a gram in humans. (JA)

GENOME PROJECTS: Research and technology development efforts aimed at mapping and sequencing some or all of the genome of human beings and other organisms. (DM)

GENOMIC LIBRARY: A collection of clones made from a set of overlapping DNA fragments representing the entire genome of an organism. Compare library. (DM)

GENOMICS: Characterizes the technologies supporting the science of genetics; that is, the DNA informational content of a cell. Since the late 1990s, the field has changed the way we view the biological world since all living organisms, whether bacteria or human, can now have their genomes completely sequenced and archived for ready access. Was a term originally coined to describe the discipline of science concerned with the mapping, sequencing and analysis of genomes - the complete set of genes from an organism and described the "parts manual" for an organism. The commercialization of genome technology, however, is usually focused on the discovery of medically relevant genes as potential therapeutic drug targets or identification of specific gene sequences that are correlated with genetic disorders. Modern advances in genetics have changed the way we view the biological world since all living organisms, ranging from bacteria to humans, can now have their genome sequenced, creating crucial issues of access and ownership of genomes (see BIOINFORMATICS; PROTEOME; PROTEOMICS). (IP)

GENOTYPE: The genetic constitution or makeup of an individual. (DM)

GENUINE PROGRESS INDICATOR: A monetary measure of national wellbeing and the progress of sustainability. Directly comparable to and based on the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the Genuine Progress Indicator (GPI) goes further by adjusting for economic estimates of 24 additional factors. Among others, these include income distribution, crime, family breakdown, volunteer work, leisure time, resource depletion, pollution, environmental damage, public infrastructure, defensive expenditures and dependence on foreign assets. The GPI has revealed a gradual decline in national wellbeing since the mid 1970s for countries such as the USA, UK, Germany and the Netherlands. This indicates that even despite growth in GDP figures, the total environmental and social costs have outweighed the benefits of economic activity. (See PROGRESS, GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX, INDEX OF SOCIAL HEALTH, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT). (MP)

GENUS: Level in the classification of organisms above SPECIES (q.v.) and below family. For example, the family Delphinidae (the DOLPHINS (q.v.)) contains 32 species in 17 genera. However, whereas species can be defined with come degree of objectivity, genera, families and the other levels in the classification of organisms are far more subjective. Their meaning is almost entirely the result of previous historical usage of the terms rather than of any feature of the natural world. (MR)

GEODESY: A branch of geophysics, survey methodology involving the mapping of biosphere, map making and correlating with geological, gravitational and magnetic measurements. (JA)

GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEMS (GIS): Computer technology for the storage, analysis, manipulation, synthesis and display of spatially referenced information. Overlay mapping allows the integration of multiple geographical or social data sets to find patterns, correlations and new information for strategic management. GIS has applications as a decision support tool for defense, urban planning, hazard management, environmental impact assessment and sustainability monitoring. Privacy concerns have been raised over big corporations using GIS for consumer marketing. (See REMOTE SENSING) (MP)

GEOMETRY: The study of solid shapes, surfaces, lines, curves and points in space; including the relationship between lines and points on a surface and the calculation of angles between straight lines etc. (IP)

GEOTHERMAL ENERGY: Geothermal power uses the heat and pressure generated by the movement of subterranean magma and steam to create a renewable energy supply. (See RENEWABLE ENERGY) (MP)

GERM CELLS (GC): Cells connected with reproduction, primordial cells found in testis and ovary. Egg and sperm cells and the cells that give rise to them. (see GENE THERAPY). (germ = reproductive) a reproductive cell precursor to the formation of a sperm or ovum (DM, JA)

GERM-LINE GENE THERAPY: A gene therapy technology targeting the germ cells that eventually produce gametes; that is, the oogonia in the ovaries and the spermatogonia in the testes. The protocol is of injecting correcting, modifying or additional DNA into the pronucleus of a fertilized egg. The technology requires that fertilization would occur in vitro using the usual IVF procedures of super-ovulation and fertilization of a number of egg cells prior to micromanipulation and embryo transfer. Deliberately targeting the human germ-line is problematical from biological and ethical view points, especially in view of unknown consequences passed down generations. To assume the right to manipulate our descendants in this way seems to be an extreme form of arrogance. (See SOMATIC-CELL GENE THERAPY; IN UTERO GENE THERAPY; GENE THERAPY). (IP)     

GERMPLASM: The total genetic variability, represented by germ cells or seeds, available to a particular population of organisms. (DM)

GESAMP: Group of Experts on the Scientific Aspects of Marine Pollution. UN, UNEP, UNESCO. (JA)

GHOST SPECIES: Once a population decreases to a certain threshold, the species may be virtually doomed. Lacking sufficient genetic diversity, habitat size or ecological support, the species may live for some time as a non-viable population or require human intervention for the prevention of extinction. Such "ghost species" may lead to an underestimation of biodiversity loss as measured by extinction rate. (See BIODIVERSITY, ENDANGERED SPECIES, EXTINCTION) (MP)

GHB: GHB is short for gamma hydroxybutyrate, a recreational drug also known in the gay and club scenes since the 1990s as Liquid Ecstasy. GHB acts on the dopamine system and has been used medicinally in the past as an anesthetic and antidepressant. When swallowed it has euphoric and aphrodisiac qualities, but taken in excess it may progressively induce drowsiness, nausea, respiratory depression, coma and death. The likelihood of overdose is increased by co-consumption of alcohol and lack of quality control. (See ECSTASY). (IP+MP)

GIFT: Gamete intrafallopian transfer.

GIGA-(G) : Prefix denoting one billion (10⁹); for example, 1 gigabyte = 10⁹ bytes. (IP).

GINSENG: (Chinese : jen-shen "man image") The man-shaped root from plants of the genus Panax (from Greek: panacea ). Ginseng grows in China, Japan, Korea and America and is a popular remedy in East Asian and North American traditional medicines. Its tonic, stimulant and aphrodisiac properties are said to be good for digestive, nervous, pulmonary and vitality disorders. Some of the active constituents are steroid compounds, so care should be taken with regular use especially during pregnancy. More modern medical research is required to gauge the safety and efficacy of traditional herbal remedies such as ginseng. (See HERBALISM, BUSH MEDICINE). (MP)

GIS: See GEOGRAPHICAL INFORMATION SYSTEMS.

GLOBAL BRAIN: See ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE, GAIA, WORLD WIDE WEB.

GLOBAL COMPACT: A set of United Nations principles intended to encourage sustainable corporate practices, the Global Compact was released by Kofi Annan at the 2000 World Economic Forum at Davos. The principles cover international human rights (protection from human rights abuses), labor standards (collective bargaining rights, elimination of forced labor, child labor and employer discrimination) and environment (precautionary principle, environmental responsibility and eco-technology). (See SUSTAINABLE CORPORATION) (MP)

GLOBAL ENERGY BALANCE: A correspondence between the amount of radiant solar energy absorbed the Earth and the amount radiated back outwards, such that the temperature on Earth remains within a range able to support the presence of life (see GLOBAL WARMING, GREENHOUSE EFFECT). (MP)

GLOBAL LIBERALISM: political principles described generally as liberal in the sense of comprehensive ideology or world view, rather than as a partisan political label. (see FREE MARKET) (IP)

GLOBAL PROBLEMS:

GLOBAL SCALE:

GLOBAL VILLAGE: The metaphor of the ‘Global Village’, popularized e an illustrattin Americans wo owns a compe adults are ng water. One tt in envy, feaorhoods, and often feel manipulated for the economic benefit of the rich. The wealthy few not only protect their neighborhoods with guns – they’ve exnsibiUMAN FREEDOM INDEX, INDEX OF SOCIAL HEALTH, STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT) (MP)

GLOBAL WARMING: (See GREENHOUSE EFFECT, CLIMATE)

GLOBALIZATION: Globalization commonly refers to a tendency to transcend the boundaries of the nation state. This tendency can be observed in almost every aspect of modern life: ideologies, economics, technical advances, transnational regulations, environmental problems. Whereas in the course of the 20^th century, nation states have been the main agents in the international community, they are increasingly being replaced by non-governmental and/or transnational actors. Environmentalist movements operate worldwide, international organizations address the problems of global warming or the problem of poverty, and transnational companies are important players on the world market. High technology advances (media, the internet) have enabled individuals to communicate with others in any part of the world, hereby enabled them to participate globalizing their lives.

Nevertheless, globalization cannot only be viewed as a desirable process. Many critics have been addressing the problems that globalization poses: while it broadens the options for westerners and highly educated elites all around the world, it increases discrimination of the poor even further. In this context, globalization can be defined as the spacial and temporal approximation of world regions that have access to high tech means for communication and information. (BP)

GLUCAGON: see DIABETES MELLITUS.

GLUE SNIFFING: See SOLVENT ABUSE.

GLUON: Subatomic particle. (name based on the word "glue" + the suffix "-on" common to particles) Gluons "hold together" groups of quarks. Different types of gluons are distinguished by a quality known as "color". (see QUARK) (AG)

GLYPHOSPHATE: See ROUNDUP.

GMOs: Genetically modified organisms. For example, c recombinant DNA sequences are used in plants for several purposes: to introduce desirable qualities such as crop yield, disease resistance, herbicide tolerance and insect resistance. See LMOs. Objections to. (FL)

GNP: See GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT.

GOD: A being, creator, person, eternal, personal, omnipotent and omnipresent. (JA+FL)

GODEL, K: Mathematician who proved that no set of axioms including the laws of arithmetic can ever be complete. There are always true statements that cannot be proven from the axioms. (MV)

GODS: Usually "God" refers to the One God, while "gods" refers to deities of polytheistic religions. In polytheistic religions, sometimes statues or other idols are referred to as "gods", but deeper thinkers regard these as material representations of concepts or of spiritual beings. The similarity between the gods of "polytheistic" religions and the angels (q.v.) of "monotheistic" ones may make the distinction between polytheism and monotheism outdated.(FL)

GOLDEN RULE: An almost universal principle of ethics, the ‘Golden Rule’ is summarized by the phrase “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” . Variations on this theme recur across most religions and ethical philosophies, including Zoroastrianism, Confucianism, Jainism, Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, in the Mahabharata , the Book of Leviticus , Kant, Mill’s Utilitarianism , and Rawls’ Theory of Justice . Deep Ecology also recognizes the golden rule for the Earth’s other species and ecosystems. (See RECIPROCITY) (MP& MV)

GONDWANA: about 200 million years ago all major continents were locked together in a supercontinent named Pangea (meaning "all Earth"). Pangea began to break up about 190 million years ago. First, the northern group of continents (Laurasia) split apart from the southern group (Gondwana). Laurasia formed North America and Eurasia while Gondwana broke into three parts; Africa-South America, Australia-Antarctica and India. India drifted northwards and collided with Asia which collision initiated the uplift of the Himalayas. Subsequently, South America and Africa separated and Antarctica separated from Australia. From the outset, continental drift has been closely interwoven with that of evolution. Australia, which has been separated the longest from other continents (about 65 million years) has the most distinct biota, including its indigenous people. Interestingly, the first evidence of life on Earth comes from the north-west of Western Australia, where microbe-size fossils, some of which may have produced oxygen, have been dated at 3.465 billion years before present. South America has the next most distinct biota, having been isolated from other continents for nearly 60 million years. North America and Eurasia, which were joined together for much of Earth’s  history, have very similar biotas. (IP)

GOOD SAMARITAN: The term originates in the New Testament story in the book of Luke (chapter 10). In that story, a Jewish man was attacked by thieves and left for dead. As he lay there by the side of the road hoping for help, two people walked by without extending any assistance. Then a Samaritan (inhabitant of the Samaria region, and traditional enemy of the Jews) took the wounded man to an inn, tended to his wounds, fed him, and paid his expenses. The exemplary behavior of this Samaritan was remembered in the expression "good Samaritan", which was later extended to refer to anyone who saw a person in need and extended assistance. (AG)

GOSSES: A Hebrew word referring to a patient who is in the process of dying. There is no clear and universally accepted definition of the word, although some physicians and nurses say that they can recognize someone who is about to die. In Jewish Law, "halacha" (q.v.) a gosses is regarded as totally alive. This means that it is forbidden to disturb a gosses in such a way as to hasten death. It is for this reason that some Rabbis forbid testing for brain death with advanced methods of imaging, because it may disturb a gosses. And killing a gosses is murder. On the other hand , a distinguished Israeli Rabbi, Rabbi Itzhak Silberstein, in "Assia", the Hebrew journal of Halacha and medicine, argued that it is a question which requires further deep study, whether the Law of the Pursuer (Din ha-Rodef, which requires one to take violent action against anyone who is acting so as to threaten the life of an innocent person) applies at all when the threatened person is a gosses. (FL)

GPS: Global Positioning System.

GRADUALISM: The process and belief in a gradual progression of change, as of erosion in geology. This was the belief underpinning Darwin’s concept of evolution until the ‘punctuated equilibrium’ model of Eldridge andlism than perhaps would the Socialist. (See PUNCTUATED EQUILIBRIUM) (MP)

GRAPH: A drawing that illustrates the relationship between numbers, values or quantities and is typically drawn with coordinate axes at right angles. For example, the heights of children of a certain age from differing socioeconomic backgrounds can be shown by making the distance along a horizontal line represent the child's background (converted to an arbitrary number scheme along the affluence-poverty scale) and the distance up the vertical line represent the child's height in meters. (See BAR CHART, HISTOGRAM) (IP)

GRAY GOO CATASTROPHE: This term is used in nanotechnology discourse to refer to the possibility of an apocalyptic end to life on Earth as a result of accidental release of the wrong replicating assemblers. Nanotechnology "bacteria" could be designed to utilize elements such as carbon from their surroundings to replicate more of themselves in an uncontrollable chain reaction. This evolutionarily superior "gray goo" may spread rapidly across the globe to obliterate all species including its creator. (See NANOTECHNOLOGY, NANOTECHNOLOGY WEAPONS) (MP)

GREAT APE PROJECT: A book title and organization. The idea is to include the nonhuman great apes (chimpanzees, gorillas and orangutans) within the community of equals by granting them the basic moral and legal protection that only human beings currently enjoy. The book is an edited work from a group of scientists and scholars against the unthinking denial of fundamental rights, or moral protections, to beings who are not members of our own species, but who quite evidently possess many of the characteristics that we consider morally important.  The organization is an international group founded to work for the removal of the nonhuman great apes from the category of property, and for their immediate inclusion within the category of persons . Their long-term goal is a United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Great Apes. (Web site: http://www.greatapeproject.org/) (DM)

GREAT BARRIER REEF MARINE PARK: Australia is home to the largest coral reef in the world, the Great Barrier Reef extending from tropical latitudes to temperate ones, a super-organism visible from space. It is managed as a multiple-use zoned Marine Park. Forty different bioregions are recognized; within these Green Zones are protected, Yellow is for recreational fishing and Blue for commercial fishing excluding trawling. Many of the world’s coral ref Marine Science and Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority. (See CORAL REEF, MARINE PARK) (MP)

GREED: (Old English graedig "covetous"). Excessive desire to acquire or consume more than is reasonable or fair, for example in relation to wealth, power or resource consumption. (see SUFFICIENCY). (MP)

GREEN: (German: grün ‘grow’) The adjective green implies association with ecology, conservation of nature and relevance to environmental issues; for example the ‘green revolution’ involved new high-yield agricultural techniques, a ‘green belt’ is uncultivated nature or parks surrounding a community, ‘greenery’ is growing plant foliage, ‘greens’ are leafy vegetables, and a ‘green thumb’ implies gardening ability. The green activist movement has been building since the early 70s along with green politics and organizations such as Greenpeace. Conservationists have become ‘greenies’ with ‘shallow/light green’ or ‘deep/dark green’ ideologies. Green is also increasingly used as an adjective - ‘green products’, and as a verb - ‘greening’ a corporate image. (See GREEN MOVEMENT, GREENIES, DEEP ECOLOGY, ECOLOGISM, ENVIRONMENTALISM) (MP)

GREEN BAN: ‘Green Bans’ are strikes or union bans imposed in recognition of particular ethical or environmental concerns identified by the workers or community. (See GREEN MOVEMENT, INDUSTRIAL ACTION) (MP)

GREEN CONSUMERISM: Concern for the environmental and human health has created economic demand for green products, green labeling, recyclable materials, organic foods, soft energy/technology, green standards of practice, corporate responsibility/liability, ethical investments, etc. Multinational corporations have responded, not only in forms like the Body Shop and health-food stores, but more broadly across the spectrum - corporate and executive images are being cleaned and greened ranging from Microsoft to British Petroleum. The power of consumer demand is one of the motivating factors towards a green economy; others include green politics, green taxes etc. (See GREEN, ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMICS, ECOLOGICAL ECONOMICS) (MP)

GREEN FLASH: is an intense, brief flash visible under certain conditions following the moment the sun goes beyond the horizon. The phenomenon is due to refraction of light rays from the setting sun as they pass through the lower layers of the atmosphere. (see CORONAS, RAINBOWS, MIRAGES & HALOES) (IP)

GREEN MOVEMENT: A strong international activist movement and political viewpoint which has the following central assumptions: intrinsic value and preservation of nature, eco-centrism, ethical value systems, sustainable development, grassroots democracy, social and economic justice, disarmament and non-violence. It involves movement towards the alternative environmental paradigm of a decentralized, non-consumeristic, non-nuclear, participatory, harmonious society. The green movement shares the aims of the peace movement and some of those of the anti-globalization movement, recognizing that ecological values require factoring in to human activities, and that poverty itself comprises a threat to environmental protection. Some of the earliest environmental political groups were formed in West Germany by people such as Petra Kelly, the German Greens, ‘Grüne Aktion Zukunft’ and electoral candidate ‘green lists’. Politicalerately strexample, the ‘Green Bans’ from 1971, partly inspired by the women’s group ‘Battlers for Kelly’s Bush’, werement oment iing, salinization), despite efforts such as the ‘ National Strategy for the Implementation of Sustainable Development’ in combination with the National Parks and Wildlife Service and organizations such as Australian Conservation Foundation and the Wilderness Society. Globally the movement includes United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), environmental watchdogs like WorldWatch Institute, green charities like World Wildlife Fund, and activist networks like Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace. Prominent international contributors to the green movement have included in no particular order Rachel Carson, David Suzuki, Gro Harlem Brundtland, David Attenborough, Chico Mendes, Jane Goodall, Dian Fossey, Wangari Maathai, Jacques Cousteau, Paul Ehrlich, Theodore Roszak, Richard Leakey, Edward Goldsmith, Lester Brown, Norman Myers, Howard Rheingold, James Lovelock, Amory and Hunter Lovins and E.O. Wilson. (See GREEN, GREENIES, GREEN CONSUMERISM, ENVIRONMENTALISM, ACTIVISM, PEACE MOVEMENT, ANTI-GLOBALIZATION MOVEMENT, SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT) (MP)

GREEN REVOLUTION: The very large increase in agricultural productivity in the late 20^th Century facilitated by the introduction of high-yielding crop varieties, increased use of pesticides and fertilizers, and improved management techniques. The Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR; http://www.cgiar.org/) coordinates a network of international agricultural research institutes focused especially on the needs of developing countries; CGIAR has been involved in many of the innovations that made the green revolution possible. (RW)

GREENHOUSE EFFECT: Trapping of heat within the Earth's atmosphere. If the Earth had no atmosphere, its average surface temperature would be about -18°C but the various GREENHOUSE GASES (q.v.) prevent much of the incoming radiation from the Sun from being re-radiated out into space. Some of these gases, particularly carbon dioxide, are increasing in concentration as a result of human activity - particularly the burning of fossil fuels. (See GLOBAL WARMING) (MR)

GREENHOUSE GASES: Carbon dioxide, water vapour, methane, nitrous oxides, chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), nitrous oxides and the other gases that trap heat within the Earth's atmosphere. (See GREENHOUSE EFFECT) (MR)

GREENIES: Colloquial term for people active in or concerned with conservation, environmental issues or green politics. People with a green outlook range from everyday citizens through to deep ecologists and radical activists, and usage of the term ‘greenie’ ranges from friendly to derogatory depending on perspective. Greenies may have much in common with related groups, especially with the peace movement (‘peaceniks’), small-scale sufficiency lifestyles (‘hippies’), and to a lesser degree with socialist ideology (‘reds’). Greenies should try not to be inexperienced or gullible (‘greenhorns’), avoid over-consumption (unlike the ‘yuppie’), and stand opposed to those who fight, hunt or discriminate (‘rednecks’). (See HIPPIES, YUPPIES) (MP)

GREER, GERMAINE: (1939- ). Australian writer and feminist whose influential best seller 'The Female Eunuch' (1970) became in the 1970s the public face of feminism. Greer rejects the stereotype of femininity that 'castrates' women by conditioning them to believe that passivity and dependence is the natural female state. Throughout her career she has urged women to fight against this artificial attitude and, if they are to fully express their genetic creativity, encouraged them to explore their sexuality. In her later works Greer investigated the importance of motherhood to women in 'Sex and Destiny: The Politics of Human Fertility ' and whether aging post the menopause is a special kind of female liberation in 'The Change: Women, Ageing, and the Menopause' 1991. (See BEAUVOIR, SIMONE DE, DWORKIN, ANDREA). (IP)

GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT (GDP): GDP is an aggregated annual measure of the total market value of goods and services produced within a nation. "Gross" implies that expenditures on replacement of capital goods are not deducted, and "domestic" implies that incomes from foreign investments are not included. The problem with GDP lies in how the statistic is used and interpreted. GDP is an index of economic turnover rather than national wealth, as it fails to measure the value of unpaid and voluntary work, or the economic potential of existing infrastructure and unexploited natural resources. Importantly, it does not differentiate between detrimental and sustainable generation of income, masking the impacts of some economic activities on social and natural systems. For example, GDP registers economic gain from such things as accidents requiring medical treatment, inbuilt obsolescence of goods, and environmentally destructive developments. The common use of GDP per capita as a measure of quality of life or human wellbeing is therefore flawed by its inability to pick up such social and environmental consequences. A nation’s  GDP must be compared with other broader indicators such as the Human Development Index or Genuinethe people. (See GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT, GENUINE PROGRESS INDICATORS, HUMAN DEVELOPMENT INDEX) (MP)

GROSS NATIONAL PRODUCT (GNP): GNP is an aggregated annual measure of the total market value of goods and services produced by a nation, including income from overseas investments but excluding income to overseas investors. GNP influences the distribution of power and policy in the international economic system, for example voting power in the International Monetary Fund. Although GNP is a useful economic statistic, it is not necessarily an accurate measure of sustainable progress or human well being. (See GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT, GENUINE PROGRESS INDICATORS) (MP)

GROUNDWATER: Sub-surface fresh water infiltrating the spaces between soil particles, contained in permeable rock or in voids between rock layers. Sustainable management of the saturated "water table" is required to prevent soil and groundwater salinity. In the upper "vadose" zone, some water is bonded to soils, whereas the "phreatic" zone is beneath the saturated level of the water table. Underground reservoirs and aquifers such as Australia’s  Great Artesian Basin are not necessarily renewable and require protection from pollution and overuse. (See WATER CYCLE) (MP)

GROUP DECISION SUPPORT: See DELPHI METHOD, DECISION SUPPORT SYSTEMS.

GROUP SELECTION: See INDIVIDUAL SELECTION.

GROWTH: Enlargement (increase in size, development, knowledge, wealth). Growth is an existing characteristic of many global phenomena, such as human physiology, human populations, size of corporations, successful industries and certain value systems. With growth can come inequality and decreased wellbeing, for example profits to rich international food chains instead of local food merchants. In a world of limits, growth often comes at the expense of others or the environment. Such negatives are measured as growth in indicators such as Gross Domestic Product (GDP), but should not be considered progress or sustainable development. Growth implies a transition to maturity - the application of mature ethical principles to wisdom. Hopefully growth to collective maturity is the next stage of progress. Ironically perhaps, those attempting to spread free the ideas and applications of sustainability and bioethics can learn from growth practices such as efficiency and marketing. (See ADOLESCENCE, DEVELOPMENT, PROGRESS, GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT, EXTERNALITIES, OLD AGE) (MP)

GROWTH HORMONE (GH): A hormone which contributes to the growth of a child. Its availability may also be related to the aging process. GH from cadavers was once used to replace GH deficiency in short-stature children. But a suspected link between cadaver-derived GH and Creutzfeld-Jacob disease encouraged the development of genetically engineered GH derived from genetically modified E-Coli. The use of GH for healthy, non-GM deficient, but short stature children raises bioethical questions of pediatric informed consent, of whether "short-stature" is a medical or a culture-relative term, and of whether medical solutions ought to be applied to problems for which alternative solutions, such as sport, martial arts, change of attitude and lifestyle, might be tried. These questions are all the more salient since there is no conclusive evidence that GM treatment for healthy, short-stature children affects final height rather than just growth rate. (FL)

GUERRILLA WARFARE: See INSTITUTION OF WAR, CHE GUEVARA.

GUESSWORK: See CONJECTURE.

GUIDELINES: Directions or principles set forth by groups such as government agencies, institutions, professional organizations, or expert panels to establish current or future rules of policy. (See STANDARDS, CODES OF ETHICS). (DM)

GUILT: (Old English: gylt derived from gield 'payment') Being responsible for having committed a specified or implied offense; that is, transgressed beyond the fundamental way we, as social creatures possessing an ethical consciousness, should conduct ourselves (Old English gylt derived from gield payment. (IP)

GURU GRANTH SAHIB: The most sacred book of the Sikhs, compiled by Guru Arjan (1563-1606) (see Sikh). This book is so revered by the Sikhs it is given the honorary title of "Guru" (teacher). This title is usually only applied to human beings, and so, when used in connection with this text, it conveys the idea that one is standing in the presence of a teacher when standing before this book. A central theme of the Granth is the unity of God and God's transcendence. The book contains many hymns praising the greatness of God. (AG)

GUT: See GRAND UNIFYING THEORY OF NATURE. Also a term for the intestinal tract.

GYMNOSOPHY: "Gymnos" means nudity in Greek, and "Sophia" means wisdom. Gymnosophy is an ethic encouraging nudism (q.v.) as a way of divesting oneself of attachment to material possessions or to anything which covers what one really is or makes one appear other than what one really is, in order to achieve a more spiritual state, a greater closeness to nature, or more authentic relations with other people. There have been gymnosophical sects since ancient times, and there is a gymnosophical branch of Jainism in India today. In the 1960's and 1970's in the West, public nudity was a form of protest against war, capitalism and authoritarianism. This was a neo-gymnosophy, although the word was not used. (FL)

GYMNOSPERM: The cone-bearing trees, evolutionarily older than the angiosperms,  for example conifers and boreal forest such as pine, spruce and fir trees. (See CONIFEROUS FOREST, SOFTWOODS, ANGIOSPERM) (MP)

GYNECOLOGY: Branch of medicine dealing with diseases of the female reproductive tract.(see obstetrics). A branch of medical science that deals with the physiological condition and function of the reproductive system of women. It has been confused for not dealing with broader aspects of women's health. (DM+JA)

GYPSY : See ROMA.

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