Nature is a key setting in the story of independence and of our desire, as humans, to be independent. Nature is all of our environment, which exists through individual organisms coexisting because each organism has its niche. Nature is successful when everything fills its niche and it fails when an organism attempts to expand its power too far. This individuality through both the personal and organismal level supplies the world with an environment that supports both life and personal matters but only as long as it does not extend its power too far. As the natural world around us continues to be minimized, it is up to the organisms that it provides for, to provide for it. This means that humans play a key role in determining how long Earth will survive and how long we the human world can coexist in the natural world.
Personal matters are supported by nature through self-discovery and the ability to ‘move’ into nature to separate one’s self from the social and physical demands required by society. Many acclaimed philosophers regard this as the concept of Natural Law. An article published called Natural Law, Natural Rights, and American Constitutionalism simplifies the ideas produced by Greek philosophers regarding separation from the ‘unnatural’ world, they suggest “The dominant tendency of the time was to see “nature” (phusis) and “law” (nomos) as quite distinct and even opposed notions representing what was permanent and non-human on the one hand, and what was a product of human agreement on the other.” Nature was perceived as an escape from the non-human aspects of life. It was almost as if there were two worlds to live in, one that is human derived and one that is simply natural.
Natural worlds can be further derived into subcategories that describe the amount of human impact that is had on an environment. On our Field Day, Professor McNaron shared that there were four levels of nature. She suggested that the most pure level of nature is the wilderness. This level lacks people and is the most dangerous. Next, would be the scenic sublime made up of big forests, big lakes, oceans, and mountains. This would be an area that is dangerous but if you were lost, you could likely be retrieved. Then would be the Countryside consisting of hills, fields, and woods. Things that are natural but are not very large fall into this category. Lastly, is the domestic picturesque. This less natural level is man made ‘natural’ structures such as parks, gardens, and retreats. Professor McNaron believed that we can divide our environment into four levels of nature to determine their individual impact on a human. She thought that our natural world played a key role in who we are, just as greek philosophers believed.
Human nature and individuality is created in part by one’s experience in nature. Professor McNaron suggested that “[nature is] important to the development of a hero”. For example, in the Bible, Jesus departs for 40 days to face the desert and become more knowledgeable. Hero’s in the human world are created by developing in the natural world. Due to the natural world providing one with the ability to ‘find him/herself’, the hero can be a better leader who is more aware of who they are. Not only have we seen this with heros, but it has been seen through ‘average’ individuals. It was seen in Giovanni’s Room when David physically moves to Paris and then to Southern Europe to develop a sense of who he was in relation to the world and in relation to his personal reality. His change in location provided him with a change in the natural ranks that Professor McNaron had described.
Of course, as we rely on the natural world to provide us with intellectual escapes, we rely on it to provide for us. Nature provides us with the ability to step back to what was original and what was once whole. As we as humans continue to develop society and enforce industrialization, we are, little by little, destroying the environment that provides us with intellectual outlets. Professor McNaron made the assumption that part of our negative human nature is that we believe we are the measure of all things, a concept known as anthropocentrism. Simplistically, this theory suggests that as a human race, we regard nature as inferior to human needs. This is supported by environmentalists as they suggest “the industrial world has already used much of the planet’s ecological capital. This inequality is the planet’s main ‘environmental’ problem; it is also its main ‘development’ problem.” (From the World Commission on Environment and Development 1987) Our anthropocentric beliefs allow us to think that nature can be replenished. Until we begin to recognize that our natural world is falling apart, we will continue to put the needs of humans, society, and development above the needs of the natural world.
Without our natural world, attempts at development with reliance on the natural world will be for nothing. As humans, we cannot exist without nature providing for us. Therefore, nothing can exist without nature. Who we are in a context with the social world is, in part, determined by where we live. Where we live, represents the opportunities that we have to strive for and to experience independence. Without the natural world, neither independence nor life exists.
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