What is Nature?
The meaning of nature is “far from being unified or self evident”—it is an abstract concept rather than a concrete notion. ¹
Brief Western History: Aristotle, the founder of most academic disciplines including the natural sciences, defined nature as “the essence of things.” In Metaphysics, he expands on this definition into four different definitions of nature: “the generation of what grows (as a process), the primordial element from which things grow (as a principle), the principle of movement (a spontaneous cause), and the matter from which things are made (substance).” In Roman history, Cicero introduced the opposition of “nature” with “culture.” In the Christian Middle Ages, nature was seen as a tool in the hands of God, creator of a static world. Ultimately, whilst “nature” used to be the core concept of philosophy and science, it is now no longer considered as a philosophical concept or a scientific term.
In Western dictionaries, there are currently four main definitions of nature:
The whole of material reality, considered as independent of human activity and history.
The whole universe, as it is the place, the source and the result of material phenomena (including man or at least man’s body).
The specific force at the core of life and change.
The essence, inner quality and character, the whole of specific physical properties of an object, live or inert.
In a study of synthesizing over 60 languages’ concepts of nature, the authors found two intersecting dimensions: (1) inclusive and non-inclusive natures imply humans as part of, or separate from, nature. (2). Deifying natures depict nature within a spiritual dimension.
¹ What does ‘nature’ mean? <https://www.nature.com/articles/s41599-020-0390-y>
