biophilia
n. a fundamental human attraction to and need for contact with the natural world. This idea was introduced in 1964 by Erich Fromm, who believed that subconscious seeking of connections with nature represents a positive psychological orientation toward life that benefits individuals’ functioning and overall well-being. In 1984, U.S. biologist Edward O. Wilson (1929– ) elaborated on the concept to develop the biophilia hypothesis, stating that humans have genetically based, evolutionarily determined attractions to specific landscapes and natural elements that create a propensity to affiliate with other living organisms. The hypothesis also holds that this enmeshment with nature plays an essential role in human cognitive, social, and emotional processes. Although Fromm contrasted biophilia with necrophilia, now it generally is contrasted with biophobia.