Nature, Wilderness and Place - Essay Example

Nature, Wilderness, and Place Humans have continued to struggle throughout history, in finding their rightful place in nature. Therefore, because of this, they have developed various perceptions about how they should interact with their environment. The terms ‘nature,’ ‘wilderness,’ and ‘place’ are crucial in society and in different communities. People have different perceptions and understanding of these terms mainly because of the diversity of experiences among human communities. Therefore, the relationship between wilderness, nature, and place keeps evolving, as the people’s perceptions about these also change over time. Most societies have the philosophy, ethics, and values, which specifically address nature, wilderness, and their relationship with these. However, different philosophers, activists, and writers in the past have also developed various philosophical approaches, which are associated with the concepts of nature, wilderness, and place. Basing on various philosophical approaches therefore, this essay will focus on the various ways we understand ‘nature,’ ‘wilderness,’ and ‘place’ and how the similarities and differences in these words shape our overall understanding of each of them individually, and as a whole. There is no absolute definition of the ideas of “nature,” “wilderness,” and “place” since these vary within human societies, because of the diversity in worldviews and interactions with the environment. The culture of the human society keeps changing with time. However, some cultural aspects are preserved and transferred from one generation to the next. For instance, from the old world came the aspect of Romanticism and the idea of the sublime, which were both preserved and passed down to the new world. In the ideals of Romanticism, the concept of nature was associated with God. On the other hand, the aspect of nature and wilderness was associated with beauty, as well as terror. Emerson and Thoreau focused on the various views of wilderness and wild places. These used different styles to relay the message to the society, that it is important to experience and appreciate the beauty of nature and wilderness, as this is beneficial to a person as a whole, as well as the entire society. Similarly, Gary Snyder in his essay, "The Etiquette of Freedom," focuses on the elements of freedom, wildness, culture, and nature. He describes nature in different ways, based on how different communities perceive it, including the Latin and the Chinese, among others. The word ‘nature,’ according to Synder, has diverse meanings, depending on the type of community. However, primarily, nature includes the physical world, which comprise all living things, and the excludes all the features of civilization. Alternatively, Snyder adopts a broader meaning of nature to represent "the creative and regulative physical power which is conceived of as operating in the material world and as the immediate cause of all its phenomena" (Snyder 8). Apart from nature being perceived differently by various communities, there is a relationship between nature and the divine. Emerson, a prominent transcendentalist, believed that through a positive relationship with the wilderness, human beings would interact with the divine being, and exhibit their moral responsibility. In Emerson’s piece of writing titled “Nature,” he focuses on the balanced relationship between human beings and the wilderness. In this article, Emerson considers the stars to be one of the evidences of the existence of a god: “But if a man is alone, let him look at the stars” (Emerson 528). The stars, according to Emerson, are part of nature, which he argues that have the power to alienate man. Similarly, Thoreau in his work “Walden” brings out a similar effect of nature: “Yet I experienced sometimes that the most sweet and tender, the most innocent and encouraging society may be found in any natural object, even for the poor misanthrope and most melancholy man. There can be no very black melancholy to him who lives in the midst of nature and has his senses still” (Thoreau 1). Therefore, this shows that nature has greater power than that of human beings. In addition, Emerson employs personification: “But every night come out these envoys of beauty, and light the universe with their admonishing smile” (Emerson 528). With this, Emerson emphasized the power and beauty of nature, and that human beings ought to respect. In a similar way, Emerson writes, “The stars awaken a certain reverence, because though always present, they are inaccessible” (Emerson 528). Here, he proves that the stars, which are part of nature, exhibit their power through their capability of being inaccessible, and their trait of ‘otherness.’ Emerson considered nature to have the aspect of ‘otherness,’ which is the main theme in his work. In this article, Emerson also focuses on the contrast between nature and soul and nature as ‘other.’ He therefore, explores the similarities and differences between the seen and that which surpasses the seen. “The lover of nature is he whose inward and outward senses are still truly adjusted to each other” (Emerson 528). Therefore, according to Emerson, in order for humans to see and appreciate the beauty of nature, they must understand this difference, and see nature with their inner eyes. Most scholars and philosophers believed that nature is powerful, and there is a close relationship between nature and God. Emerson, in his work ‘Nature’ argues that God and nature are one thing, and he explains the transcendental experience in the wilderness and the “occult relation between man and the vegetable” (Emerson 529). Nature is powerful, and the power of nature bases on its beauty, as well as its potential terror. Nonetheless, Emerson, in this piece of work, has taken a rather abstract form in addressing the relationship between humans and nature. Nature and wilderness are affected by different factors. One major factor is civilization, which conflicts with the wilderness and nature, as it affects them in a negative manner. In his piece of work, ‘Walking,’ Thoreau addresses the relationship between humans, wilderness, and civilization. He adopts a more concrete approach in addressing this relationship. His love and respect for nature is based on nature’s beauty and terror. Nonetheless, he communes with nature through the different nature walks he engages in. Thoreau’s piece of work is mainly based on the conflict between civilization and nature and the wilderness. According to Thoreau, technical civilization disrupted the patterns of nature. However, in order for him to experience the beauty of nature and break away from the civilization, he took his daily nature walks: “I, who cannot stay in my chamber for a single day without acquiring some rust” (Thoreau). However, at the end of his walks, he has to go back to civilization: “Our expeditions are but tours, and come round again at evening to the old hearthside from which we set out” (Thoreau). Humans ought to limit their experience of nature and the wilderness, as too much exposure to these could result in adverse effects. Thoreau, in his work shows his fear for the wilderness. Although he enjoys taking walks, he fears the negative effects, which the wilderness would have on him, if he experienced it for a prolonged period: “Perhaps we should be more susceptible to some influences important to our intellectual and moral growth, if the sun had shone and the wind blown on us a little less; and no doubt it is a nice matter to proportion rightly the thick and thin skin” (Thoreau). This therefore, proves Thoreau’s fear of too much wilderness. However, despite this fear, Thoreau still believes in that the wilderness carries a considerable proportion of both aesthetic and spiritual value, which other places in civilization do not bear: “When we walk, we naturally go to the fields and woods: what would become of us, if we walked only in a garden or a mall?” (Thoreau). Nonetheless, like Emerson, Thoreau also emphasizes on a balanced relationship between human beings, nature, and the wilderness. Both Emerson and Thoreau insist that for human beings to have an appropriate relationship with nature and the wilderness, they ought to appreciate the beauty of nature and the wilderness, in addition to respecting and fearing nature and the wilderness, based on their powers. Nature and the wilderness are characterized by a high level of freedom, compared to the other parts of the world, which are under human civilization. Snyder in his work, "The Etiquette of Freedom," emphasizes on the level of freedom that is inherent in nature and the wilderness. In the wild, plants, animals, and land exist independently, interacting and flourishing without human forces or interruption. In addition, Snyder considers wild in terms of individuals, societies, and behavior, as following own free-will, without any kind of regulation or standards. Therefore, this proves that freedom is inherent in the wild. On the contrast, when humans disrupt the wild, through various activities such as gardening, this puts a limit on the freedom, which is inherent in the wild. Pollan Michael, in his article, “Gardening Means War,” considers gardening as an act of environmental imperialism, which demonstrates a lack of respect for nature’s fragility (Michael 1). On the other hand, Snyder has considered the wilderness and described it from different kinds of viewpoints. Primarily, the wilderness is described as a large area of wild land, which comprises original life forms, but is unused by humans due to its unproductive nature (Snyder 11). Nonetheless, just as Thoreau proclaimed his fear for the wilderness, Snyder also emphasizes on the fear and dangers of the wilderness, when he describes the wilderness as “A place of danger and difficulty: where you take your own chances, depend on your own skills, and do not count on rescue” (Snyder 11). Each community perceives nature in different ways. Similarly, the perceptions about nature have continually been transformed from one generation to another. In Snyder’s article “Is Nature Real?’ he addresses the perceptions of the modern generation about nature, and his feelings about their perceptions. Most intellectuals in the modern generation have argued that nature is a social construct. However, according to Snyder, this cannot be true, since if viewed this way, it might mean that the world too is an illusion. Snyder believes that such sentiments by the intellectuals in the modern capitalistic world are meant to commodify nature, in order to continue with the attack on nature and the wilderness for monetary gains of the capitalists (Snyder 195-198). With regard to varied perceptions of people about nature and the overall environment, Anne Dillard in “Seeing,” considers different people to experience the beauty of nature in varied ways. According to Dillard, lovers of nature, and those people with vast knowledge about nature will perceive nature in the most appropriate manner. The lovers of nature will also see beyond elements in nature, and will attach meaning to various elements in nature. On the other hand, the knowledgeable people will continue to learn new things about nature, each time they view it. Nonetheless, Dillard argues that seeing is a prerequisite in order for people to derive happiness from nature. Therefore, allowing oneself to see nature makes them open their minds and inner eyes, appreciate the beauty of nature, and open the inner doors of happiness (Dillard 123). There are also various views, which address the relationship between humans and their environment. These include the conservationists and the environmentalists. The conservationists believe that the wilderness and nature are a source of natural resources, which are crucial for civilization, thus should be preserved and respected. On the other hand, the environmentalists believe that consider human beings as being part of nature, therefore, harmonious existence is paramount. Unlike the conservationists, who believe that nature serves as a supply of natural resources, the environmentalists believe that the wilderness and nature are interdependent with humanity, therefore, ecological destruction is considered an undoing (Snyder 2). Just like nature and the wilderness, the concept of the “place” can also be addressed from varying viewpoints and perceptions. Various scholars and philosophers have also attempted to debunk the real meaning of the ‘place’ in varying ways. While others view place as an experience, others have held contrary views. Snyder in his essay "The Place, the Region, and the Commons," views place as an experience: "I want to talk about place as an experience and propose a model of what it meant to 'live in place' for most of human time, presenting it initially in terms of the steps that a child takes growing into a natural community" (25). Therefore, because of the diversity, including varying cultural backgrounds and different worldviews of humans, different people will experience place in different ways. Places are prone to undergo transformation and evolution, just as human cultures do. Therefore, with time, a place might be transformed due to different factors, which take toll on it. However, Snyder posits that change in a place might be negative or positive. Population growth is one of the factors that lead to change in a place. In this case, communities become more autonomous, and blend in the metropolitan areas. On the other hand, change might be destructive to a place. This might be through the overexploitation of land and natural resources of the place, in order to satisfy the demands of production in the area. Nonetheless, from the various viewpoints of different scholars and philosophers, it comes out that there is an interrelationship between nature, wilderness, and place. It can be understood that nature comprises the wilderness and places. On the other hand, the wilderness is a place. In addition, the destruction of nature has adverse effects on a place. Nonetheless, the definition of the ideas of “nature,” “wilderness,” and “place” vary within human societies. This variance in perceptions about these ideas is because of the different ways through which different communities interact and experience the world. However, the way humans perceive their environment helps them know how to address various problems and issues that are related to their environment. None of the perceptions about nature, wilderness, and place is perfect. However, any perception about the nature and the overall environment, which puts into consideration the needs of humanity and all other elements in the environment, is likely to promote sustainability, which promotes a harmonious co-existence between humans and all the other elements of nature. Works Cited Dillard, Annie. “Seeing.” Pilgrim at Tinker Creek. Rpt. in Making Sense: Essays on Art, Science, and Culture. Boston. Patricia A. Coryell, 2006. Print. Emerson, Ralph Waldo. “Nature.” 528-529. The Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson in One Volume. Black’s Readers Service. Roslyn: 1979. Michael, Pollan. “Gardening Means War.” New York Times Magazine. 19 June 1988. Web. Snyder, Gary. “The Etiquette of Freedom” The Practice of the Wild, New York: Counterpoint Press, 2010. Snyder, Gary. "The Place, the Region and the Commons" The Practice of the Wild, New York: Counterpoint Press, 2010. Snyder, Gary. "Is Nature Real?" 1996. Web. Viewed 21 May 2013 Thoreau, Henry David. “Walking.” Viewed 21 May 2013 Thoreau, Henry David. “Walden” New York: George Routledge & sons, 1904. Read More