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Are humans not part of nature? What evidence do we have that nature is ever at any time "in balance?" This is a common trope that is deeply rooted in the wester
by morpheos137 5y ago
Are humans not part of nature? What evidence do we have that nature is ever at any time "in balance?" This is a common trope that is deeply rooted in the western mind. Perhaps it is connected to old ideas like geocentrism.
Here is another way of looking at things: the world is constantly changing. Do I advocate pooping on a crowded beach? No. Is the ocassional defacation of a back country backpacker a problem? No.
It is not like humans are some toxic alien not native to planet earth.
- majewsky 5y agoHumans are part of 99% of nature. Nature reserves are the control group that helps us understand which effects are caused by us specifically, and which are not.
- cmurf 5y ago>Are humans not part of nature? No. Humans are supranatural when it comes to our influence on the planet. While this power is not absolute, it's significant enough to make humans an edge case in nature. >Is the ocassional defacation of a back country backpacker a problem? No. In the example given, it's not occasional, but occurs a significant minority of the time that nature can't cope with the volume of human feces.
- morpheos137 5y agoSo plants are supranatural then too? Their influence far exceeds ours. Humans are part of nature. Nature is never in balance. Change is the only constant. As pre-Socratic Heralcitus said you "never step in the same river twice." If humans exceed the carrying capacity of their ecosystem, the system will reduce the number of humans.