There is a wide agreement among us to consider nature a good thing and thus when we want to compliment something, we say it is natural as of giving it more credit. On the other hand, when we want to condemn something we accuse it of being unnatural. In both cases, we usually don’t have a precise definition of what natural really is which leaves us basing our logical argument in a false assumption.
Lets first check out what wikipedia defines nature:
Nature, in the broadest sense, is equivalent to the natural world, or the environment, physical universe, material world or material universe. “Nature” refers to the phenomena of the physical world, and also to life in general.
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“The phenomena of the physical world” Does this mean nature is everything contained in the physical world? and as a result we can define natural to be anything derived from this physical world?
In the general mean of the term natural, any complicated intelligent creation of human beings are excluded. For instance, it is awkward to say that a car is a natural product. Although if you go back to the definition, a car is a production of the minds of human beings. Human beings are a product of nature, and the materials used in building the car, while being not directly manufactured by nature, it is part of the physical world and result of its interactions.
Nature has done an amazing job. Eventhough it took a *very* long time, but it is kind of miraculous to produce such complicated creatures – aka human beings – starting from a couple of lifeless atoms. One might look at the wonderment of this world thinking that with such strength of nature, its products must be perfect.
The truth is: Nature is FAR from perfect. Human organs for example, and while being quite robust, is subjected to getting worn out with time. The process of production is not well controlled. While it is nicely codified by genes, it still produces much defects where a lot of people are still born with genetic based diseases.
The other day on MBC channel, they broadcasted a show about the development of the fetus of human beings. The nature survival order seems to work even in the human womb. It seems that twins phenomena isn’t as rare as we think it is. In the womb it is more probable for two fetuses or more to develop where all fight for resources while ending up with one – who were able to get the best of resources to survive.
There is a lot of waste in the natural production process. Natural quality control seems to take a backseat for the sake of quantity. Although with time, Nature learns how to improve and correct itself, we are still subjected to deal with such defects.
So next time you want to condemn a left handy, alcoholic, disabled, or a mentally diseased person. Take a moment to think and re-evaluate your judgement. You may have been lucky to get your parts done right, but you may have also still unaware of a certain defects that will reveal itself to you with time.
Nature is good, but not as perfect as we like to believe.
Fadi Zaghmout فادي زغموت 
Just add to the list:Nature brought: Volcanoes, earthquakes, storms, opium, diseases, insects that carry diseases, George Bush.. yada yada yada … these are all natural things, but does that make them less lethal? or nice to die by?Good observation .. mr Observer 🙂
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I simply enjoy it when you put a peace of your mind this way 🙂
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Mshan heik emnet3awwad en2ool “el7amdella” (agnostic readers please don’t turn this into a debate).LoL Quwaider 😀 But if you look at things from a broader perspective (and no I am not trying to make a balance-of-forces argument) everything does have a purpose, and for things to be good other things have to be bad so that relativity comes into play.Otherwise things would be immortal and quite boring, right?So George Bush exists so that the rest of the 6 billion people can feel good about themselves and say el7amdella 😀
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the term “natural” was popularised as a marketing tactic. As people become more concious of their health and weight, seeing the word natural on a product is like a spell. As you and Qwaider pointed out natural isn’t necessarily good. Cyanide is natural. So is aging, and death.
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good, perfect, and bad are all human perceptions that hold no value in the natural world. its just human bias thats all. everything in nature has its part to play in the bigger picture of things I kinda wish i can see humanity in the same light rather than seeing some parts that require deletion:P
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“natural” is a term that I don’t like to use. People use it to refer to things that have become commonly acceptable by people. and each one of us will have our own “natural” standards.For example, some people see gays as abnormal and as a “not natural” phenomena; that’s why I see it as a relative thing.
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Qwaider, George Bush is kind of natural disaster! lolLife, :):):) I am glad you do..KJ, you may have a point, maybe it has to do with balancing the bigger picture, who knows?Hani Obaid, totally right! and you know what God is unnatural and yet he/she is good! 🙂no_angel, you are right, but people should be aware of what nature gifted them. We have different abilities and shortageous and we don’t have the same chance to survive. Whether there is wisdom behind that or not, it is another storyhamza, good point. People call familiar things natural where in fact they might not be.
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