We are a part of a great life on our planet. For many years, we tried to understand the world, where we live. We also tried to find out the roots and the source of our appearance. Therefore, there were suggested many theories concerning the way of our appearance in the world.
Some of these theories are well-known for us, and some of them are still hidden or, at least, hard to comprehend. Paying attention to the well-known theories of our origin, we can observe a great number of variants, each of which presents to us something new about our history and the way, how we entered this great and interesting world.
There should be also admitted that in different times, there were different theories that were considered to be the only true variants of our origin and some of them were still regarded to be false. In spite of the fact that some religious conservatives reject Darwin’s theories (Gelernter et al. 52), Darwin with his ideas is well-known all around the world. His theories enjoy wide popularity among representatives of different cultures and nations. His book “The Origin of Species” presented a new way of understanding our origin and our life.
However, there are still many issues in Darwin’s work, which have to be analyzed and be better understood by us. Therefore, there can be observed many attempts to understand Darwin: Darwin’s theory touches upon very difficult and important things and observe different ways of using the word “nature”. To comprehend Darwin’s ideas and intentions, it is very important to understand his world and his attitude to this life and to realize that by Darwin, nature is a great part of us.
The first thing that is very important for understanding Darwin is the analysis of his life, the way he worked and understood this great world. We know that Darwin lived in the industrial world, and we can observe the facts, which reflect this in his works, when he uses metaphors reflected the world of business, factories and the empire (Crook 160).
Therefore, that is necessary to mention that such a situation influenced Darwin very much, as that is not possible to live and to work without feeling the influence of time. That is also possible to suppose that Darwin tried to compare the system that exits in nature and in business.
Because in his works we can observe the situation that all the species live in great competition, and that is why some species can change some other species (Darwin 67-90). The same situation we can observe in the sphere of business. So, we can say that Darwin tried to see and to understand the world through the glasses of the time, when he lived and worked. Such a statement is very important for understanding Darwin.
The other thing that is quiet necessary for understanding Darwin is the meaning of the word “nature” in his work. For all of us, the word “nature” means something very important and necessary. However, each person understands the meaning of this world in different ways.
And such a situation can be explained with the fact that that is almost impossible to give one general explanation to this word. Many people use this word as the second possible name of the world. Some people think that nature is just a small part of our great world. As for Darwin, here we can say that he uses the word “nature” in different ways.
For example, he uses this word in order to show our word: “… in the hands of man, apply in nature…” (Darwin 67). In this situation, we can understand the word “nature” in the meaning of the whole world. This meaning is quiet understandable and clear for us. That is also possible to say that Darwin understands and really thinks that nature is the world, where we live and where we create something new.
That means that we can influence this world. We can change something in many different ways. There is also an idea that the time of Darwin was reflected in his works. As in the industrial world people tried to change the world very much in order to make it more convenient for their life. Darwin tried to show that people always tried to change the world, as that was possible to do that.
Therefore, we understand nature as just the world where we live and which we try to change according to our own desires. We can also observe such meaning of the word “nature” in the next Darwin’s words from his work “The Origin of Species”: “…we should then have places in the economy of nature …” (Darwin 67-90). Here we can also observe the situation when Darwin understands nature as our world, with its important components and systems.
We just take this world and live in it, of course, changing it according to our way of life. For example, when talking about different species, Darwin states that they all already exist in nature, in our world, by some of them disappear and some new species appear (Darwin 67-90). Therefore, we can say that we can change this world and even create some other one.
At the same time Darwin uses the word “nature” in some other meaning. For example, in the Darwin’s words: “… so could Nature but far more easily…” (Darwin 67-90).
Here, nature stands as a great power that is much stronger than man is. Therefore, Darwin writes this word with the capital letter in order to show its importance and value. The great power of Nature can change nature as our world, according to its own plans. In addition, that is necessary to mention that in the text Darwin uses the pronoun “she” instead of the word “Nature” (Darwin 67-90).
In this way he shows that Nature is something alive and that it exists and lives together with man and all other species. We can also observe the word “Nature” in the next part of the text of “The Origin of Species”: “…Nature cares nothing for appearances…” (Darwin 67-90). Here that can be understood that Nature cannot be seen but it can be felt, and that man can be seen but he cannot influence his life from the inside Darwin 67-90). From these words we can understand that Nature and man act in different spheres and planes.
Nature is something very important and very necessary for our life, and we cannot do something without it, as it created us. Therefore, that is quiet wrong to think that man is the lord of the world. Everything in the world is just under control of Nature. That is necessary to say that Darwin tried to show the role of Nature and the role of man in our world. In The Decent of Man, Darwin evaluated a change as something of “a quite unexpected nature” (Darwin et al., 100).
Comparing Nature and nature, we can say that Darwin showed nature as the world where we live, and Nature as the power that exists in all spheres and areas of this world. He also wanted to show that man lives between nature and Nature, as he lives in this world, changes it, but , of course, in accordance with the rules of Nature.
Therefore, man can change nature, and Nature can change man. However, this power of Nature is difficult for understanding. We can change nature, and in this way we can make other species appear or disappear (Darwin 67-90). However, Nature can change us.
For example, the power of Nature can change a climate of countries, and in this way Nature can change our conditions of life, and we are powerless not to let Nature do that (Darwin 67-90). We can also take weather. We cannot make it rain or snow, and at the same time we cannot make it stop raining or snowing. In such a situation we can really see that we are powerless, and that we are just creatures of Nature. Therefore, Nature is a really great power that can do everything with this world.
Therefore, some people are really afraid of this power, as it can destroy us. That is important to say that such fears are right, as nowadays we can observe many catastrophes that cannot be prevented by man. Darwin understood the existence of the great power of Nature. And using the word “nature” in different ways, Darwin wanted to show that there is the world where we live, and that there is the great power of Nature that influences our lives.
Comparison of these two meanings of the word “nature” is very important for understanding Darwin’s theory, as he wanted to show not just the way of our origin and the world where we live, but also he wanted to show as the great power of Nature. In this way Darwin wanted to show us that we are not the masters of this world, and that we are just a great part of it.
In conclusion, that is possible to say that we all live in nature, and sometimes we do really think that we are the lords of this world, and that we can do everything with it, but we are mistaken. Very often, these mistakes bring us to catastrophes. Nevertheless, there are many people, who try to understand the real course of nature. Among these people we can observe Darwin, who tried to show to the whole world the real nature and the real situation in the world.
We should try to understand him, and in order to do that we should investigate the questions of Darwin’s work very attentively. For example, we should try to understand how Darwin sees the nature, how he understands it. Taking into consideration our observations, we can say that there were different variants of nature in Darwin’s works. Understanding of these variants is very important for understanding Darwin.
That is clear that Darwin’s theories can help us to make more right actions and to understand that not everything in this world is under our control. We should try to live in agreement with the great power of Nature, by means of not destroying its other creature – our great world.
Darwin was a very great scientist, who made a very great contribution into the development of our world. We should study his works, in order to understand this world better. Our life is in our hands. However, we should take into account the rest parts of this world. Nature is our home, and that is also a home for many other species. Therefore we should not be the only masters of this world.
Works Cited
Crook, Paul. “Darwin’s Origin of Species: A Biography.” The Australian Journal of Politics and History 53.1 (2007): 160+.
Darwin, Charles. The Origin of Species. Ed. Gillian Beer. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 1996.
Dawrin, Charles, Zimmer, Carl, and Waal, Frans. The Decent of Man. New York: Plume, 2007.
Gelernter, David, Thomas Fleming, Michael Behe, and John O. Mcginnis. “The Descent of Man: Can Conservative Concepts Be Derived from Evolution? Critics Respond to John O. McGinnis.” National Review 9 Mar. 1998: 52+.