Letting Nature do the Work

Concept, Examples, Possibilities

By Alex Putzer (Committed Listener)

‘Letting Nature do the Work’ reproduces the long-lasting dichotomy between humanity and Nature, just to eventually overcome it.

From a biological point of view, humans are undoubtedly part of Nature. Charles Darwin anticipated these scientific discoveries when, in 1871, he claimed that the difference between human beings and animals ‘is certainly one of degree and not of kind’. Somehow surprisingly, these century-old findings have yet to reach and convince other fields of human interest such as ethics, law, and technology. There, the human is seen as substantially different from Nature.

Even though recent movements, such as the Rights of Nature, aim at changing this incoherence, the dichotomy’s continuous existence can help to promote a pragmatic ‘division of labor’ between humanity and Nature. The urgency of such a division is based on the manifold ecological crises of this planet. It represents a necessary continuation of an essentially outdated perception.

I am not the first to think about the idea of letting Nature do the work. However, I would like to help conceptual clarity as well as emphasize a particular focus on energy. Specifically, I want to distinguish between a nature-near and a nature-far approach.

The nature-near approach, on one hand, describes a low-emission collaboration with Nature, it lets Nature do the work by directly using its energy. Examples include sun-drying clothing or food, sailing boats, but also more elaborate schemes such as the gravitational assist that launches satellites into outer space. Currently unheard-of examples include directing radioactive energy into the intentional alteration of (biological) material. The nature-far approach, on the other hand, reflects a failing attempt to become ‘independent’ of Nature by converting its energy into indirect use. Counter-examples include driers, motorboats, or conventional aircraft.

The nature-far approach has significantly shaped the world as we see it today. Nevertheless, eventually, we need to reassess it in order to not only lower emissions but also to lead the path to a more symbiotic relationship with Nature, both emission- as well as philosophy-wise. The pragmatic division of energetic labor could thus counter-intuitively bridge the human-nature divide. Achieving this would show our human brain, after all, a part of Nature, at (its best) work.