Do you know what the relationship between society and nature is?

The interaction of man and the environment in the last century was of a one-sided nature: people cared very little about how to somehow replenish natural resources. Mother Nature was the wet nurse who generously endowed them, seemingly without demanding anything in return. And from the side of human society, as a last resort, she could only expect a contemplative, poetic attitude. But in the twenty-first century the society has to think more and more about the consequences of its actions and about the interrelationship between society and nature.

What is nature?

In order to determine the main features of this relationship, a clear understanding of the nature of nature is necessary. In philosophy, there are two most common definitions of this concept. The first says that nature is nothing else than a combination of spontaneous and disorderly forces that exist independently of human society.

According to the second approach, it also represents an objective independent reality, but obeys certain laws and necessity.

System of views on nature in the early stages of the development of society

It should be noted that various concepts concerning the essence of nature evolved along with the person himself. When he was defenseless before her forces, he endowed her with almost unlimited omnipotence. The environment was not just a chaos, consisting of impersonal elements: it was a mother-wet nurse who gave birth to all life.

The interconnection of man, nature and society was conceived within the framework of unity and harmony. This concept is reflected in the writings of ancient scholars. So, the philosopher of Ancient Greece Democritus regarded man as a collection of atoms, which reflects the system of views of that time.

Then people still did not have the means that could subjugate nature to their goals. Therefore, they regarded her as something higher, admired her, to some extent even tried to imitate these forces, who have unlimited power.

Relation to nature in the Middle Ages

The driving force that determined not only the political and economic development of society in the Middle Ages was religion. Beliefs in the supernatural powers of divine providence determined the attitude toward nature. The main goal of man now became the struggle with his own sinful essence - and, as is known, in many respects it was identified with the blind and opposing minds of the elemental forces of nature.

The study of the material world in the Middle Ages was not encouraged. Therefore, in those days, only the most desperate and selfless thinkers were thinking about the interrelationship between society and nature.

The situation in the Renaissance

In the period of the rise of interest in culture and art, nature begins to be regarded as a source of inspiration: people call on each other to return to it for creative searches. Completely new features are relevant to the environment in the 17th and 18th centuries. At this time, a person begins to use the power of his mind to explore natural forces. Now they need it to increase production capacity.

These views are reflected in the philosophy of the time at that time: people are beginning to reflect in a new way on the interrelationship between society and nature. Now the main task is the subordination of spontaneous forces to the will of the mind. So, the great scientist Francis Bacon said that the purpose of progress is human power over these forces.

Time to remember the relationship between society and nature

This attitude prevailed until the middle of the last century. Nature was perceived only as a source of resources. But since this time, people realize that their lives are directly dependent on the state of the environment. Such a view can be conveyed by a simple phrase: "The Earth is our common home".

Otherwise, you can not say. Standing on the verge of an environmental disaster, a person has to admit: while he has nowhere to go in the cold and alien universe. Therefore, he must respect his home, bearing in mind the importance that the interrelation between nature and society has.

Finding a reasonable balance

At present, society is seriously thinking about its relationship with nature. It must determine for itself that facet that separates the reasonable use of valuable resources and the complete destruction of the environment. On the one hand, a person needs the material resources that the planet Earth provides. On the other hand, his life depends on their safety.

Nature is the object of human activity. It is the material that the society needs to transform into its own purposes. The relationship between nature and society is conditioned both by the issues of human survival and by the needs of society.

If a person exhausts all natural resources, he will be like an old woman from Pushkin's fairy tale, which turned out to be in a broken trough. Society must understand: destroying nature, it condemns its existence to destruction. Having exhausted natural resources, it deprives itself of a material base for production. The relationship between nature and society should not only be of a consumer nature. A person is obliged to take care of the environment. This attitude does not exclude the possibility of an aesthetic and scientific approach.

The natural and the social within the nature of man

The problem of the interdependence of man with natural forces led scientists to study the following question: if society is so dependent on external environmental conditions, what is the ratio of natural and social within man himself? This problem involved scientists of various fields - from anthropologists to psychologists. In the study of this problem, one part of the researchers sought to treat man as a biological species. The other went into the study of the human soul.

Of particular interest in the study of the question - what is the relationship of society and nature - represent the views of the founder of psychoanalysis, Sigmund Freud. He believed that the development of society is due to the interaction of natural biological forces within a person, as well as social factors that seek to limit the effect of these forces.

Freud's views met with considerable criticism. For example, the scientist Erich Fromm believed that the biological within man is not the primary force pushing him to certain actions. However, in his conclusions, as well as in the conclusions of other neo-Freudians, there was a biological approach.

English scientist G. Spencer developed the so-called organic theory. In accordance with it, in many respects the relationship between nature and society was explained. According to Spencer's views, the society has the same features as the biological organism.

Thus, at the beginning of the new millennium, a person faced a choice: to continue destroying the environment, or to choose other ways that do not ignore the question of what the relationship between society and nature is. Life on the planet Earth will largely depend on this choice.