"The term nature is notoriously elusive...." Making Nature Sacred (pg 5)
The term nature is just like wilderness. Both of these terms can be defined in an endless amount of ways and no one can tell you that your definition is worng. Words like these are often given a definition by the experience that an individual has with them. So what make nature, Nature? The dictionary defines nature as the natural world as it exists without human beings or civilization (dictionary.com). If nature is the natural world without human beings than how has any human being experienced nature? You can't experience it if you aren't allowed to be there. This term is one that kind of allows you to make your own definition. In that sense it is pretty fun, but then what is the general populations idea of nature? Does everyone have the same underlying standards for nature? Is nature something that is learned or taught? What exactly constitutes nature? It seems like there is no right or wrong... For ever answer you come up with there will always be one to counter it. So is there a way to make nature not so elusive?
Showing posts with label april 10. Show all posts
Showing posts with label april 10. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Jennie Pahl Authentic Nature
"I think it is most fruitful, then, to imagine 'nature' as something both authentically discovered, or discoverable, and humanly constructed." - Making Nature Sacred (pg IO)
From the many hikes, and outtings that my parents have taken me on I would have to ultimately say that nature is something authentic and discoverable. I truely believe that all 99.9% of the credit goes to God for making the earth. I wouldn't rally give but 0.1% of the credit to humans. The only thing that we tend to be good at is messing things up. We suck at using our resources wisely and thinking about long term damages before we act. I will admit I do like the things we reap from most of the damage we cause, but I do not like it at the cost of nature and the wilderness. I do not think it is fair to give humans the credit for helping to construct nautre. They helped find different areas by exploring, and helping to mark paths, or various other things of this nature but we did not consturct nature. We merely made it more accessible its not like we watered the trees on the mountains or placed the rocks in a certain way to form hump back rock (a trial in virginia). We did nothing but mark the path so why give us credit for constructing nature? I think that nature is solely authentic and is only being harmed by us.
From the many hikes, and outtings that my parents have taken me on I would have to ultimately say that nature is something authentic and discoverable. I truely believe that all 99.9% of the credit goes to God for making the earth. I wouldn't rally give but 0.1% of the credit to humans. The only thing that we tend to be good at is messing things up. We suck at using our resources wisely and thinking about long term damages before we act. I will admit I do like the things we reap from most of the damage we cause, but I do not like it at the cost of nature and the wilderness. I do not think it is fair to give humans the credit for helping to construct nautre. They helped find different areas by exploring, and helping to mark paths, or various other things of this nature but we did not consturct nature. We merely made it more accessible its not like we watered the trees on the mountains or placed the rocks in a certain way to form hump back rock (a trial in virginia). We did nothing but mark the path so why give us credit for constructing nature? I think that nature is solely authentic and is only being harmed by us.
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