Nature will choose for itself, from itself
Nature: the system of natural existences, forces, changes, and events
regarded as distinguished from, or exclusive of, the supernatural; the
entire material universe and its phenomena; the sum of physical or
material existences and forces in the universe; generative energy,
genesis, birth and death; they all are, and is, 'nature'. Man is
included in 'nature'. Hence, the character, constitution, or essential
traits of a person, thing, or class, especially if original rather than
acquired; such formation - mainly inherited or habitual condition and
tendencies of man; also qualify within 'nature'. Thus, when we refer to
'natural law', we mean a rule of conduct supposed to be inherent in
man's nature and discoverable by reason alone. Therefore, when we say
'naturally'; what we imply and express, convey and denote, indicate and
say, is that: it is without effort, spontaneously, without affectation
or exaggeration, as might have been expected; of course.
Sense
Consequently, the context in which these words - 'nature' and
'naturally' - are used will determine the appropriate sense of the
words. This elaboration on the use, and the interpretation such usage
provides, was necessary to have the readers focused; to explain that the
nature of the natural law is naturally fixed. Nature will choose for
itself, from itself.
Nature is man's teacher. Earth and sky, woods and fields, lakes and
rivers, the mountain and the sea, are excellent schoolmasters, and teach
some of us more than we can ever learn from books. She unfolds her
treasures to our search, unseals our eye, illumes our mind, and purifies
our heart; an influence breathes, from all the sights and sounds of her
existence.
To find the universal elements enough; to find the air and the water
exhilarating; to be refreshed by a morning walk, or an evening saunter;
to be thrilled by the stars at night; to be elated over a bird's nest or
a wildflower - these are some of the rewards of the simple life: a life
in union with nature.
If the sight of the blue skies fills you with joy, if a blade of
grass springing up in the fields has power to move you, if the simple
things of nature have a message that you understand; rejoice, for your
soul is alive.
"I have no faith in human perfectibility. I think that human exertion
will have no appreciable effect upon humanity. Man is now only more
active; not, more happy; nor more wise; than he was 6000 years ago."
said Edgar Allan Poe, an American author, poet, editor, and literary
critic. How true. When man lived in conjunction with nature, he was
happy and carefree.
He did not have to worry about winning the rat race. He did not have
to worry about the challenges posed by his compatriots. Living with
nature, one cannot be suspicious of a tree, or accuse a bird or a
squirrel of subversion or challenge the ideology of a violet.
Only while living in the midst of man, out of tune with nature, does
such things as distrust and destruction takes place.
Today, many of us are not alive to nature. We take nature for granted
without realising that nature has the ability, and reserves the right,
to inflict upon us the most terrifying jests. Man's stupidity in losing
sight of, and overlooking, nature; is eclipsed, and exceeded, only by
the foolishness of his fellowmen. "Two things are infinite: the universe
and human stupidity; and I'm not sure about the universe", said Albert
Einstein.
Evolution
A century and a half ago, Charles Darwin detailed his theory of
evolution by natural selection in his book The Origin of Species. How
does this remarkably successful theory apply to life on our planet? The
theory of evolution is one of the great intellectual revolutions of
human history, drastically changing our perception of the world and of
our place in it. Charles Darwin put forth a coherent theory of evolution
and amassed a great body of evidence in support of this theory: that
nature will choose for itself, from itself.
In Darwin's time, most scientists fully believed that each organism
and each adaptation was the work of the creator. In other words, all of
the similarities and dissimilarities among groups of organisms; the
result of the branching process creating the great tree of life; were
viewed by early 19th century philosophers and scientists as, a
consequence of omnipotent design. However, Darwin called this principle,
by which each slight variation, if useful, is preserved; the process of
'Natural Selection' of organic evolution. He put forth his explanation
for the physical similarity among groups of organisms; and proposed a
mechanism for adaptive change, based on the inheritance of acquired
characteristics.
Based on an examination of the nature of phenomena, there are two
types of being: being-in-itself, and being-for-itself. While,
being-in-itself is something that only human beings can approximate
since as a person, we are aware of, and are interested in, our own
Being; being-for-itself is the being of consciousness. Hence, being born
into the material reality of one's body, in a material universe, one
finds oneself inserted into being. Consciousness has the ability to
conceptualise possibilities, and to make them appear, or to annihilate
them. Thus, all things stand in a relation to all other things.
See you this day next week. Until then, keep thinking; keep laughing.
Life is mostly about these two activities.
For views, reviews, encomiums, and brickbats:
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