nature

Some people talk about discovering God in nature. Some people enjoy hiking and spending time out of doors, in the wilderness. I don't. In part, I just don't believe that nature exists, either nature in terms of wild life, wilderness untouched by humanity, or in the sense of nature as essence, as the real thing.

I don't find God in nature, in the diversity of plant and animal life, the fragility and complexity of an ecosystem, or even in the evolution of species. That is all very beautiful and moving, but what I find isn't God.

What I find is a system of taxonomy and invention, a system of language superimposed over the world. And I'm skeptical of the bases of taxonomy, of differentiation between species, etc. So when I go on hikes, I think of the systems of order that people believe they are discovering in the world, of the categories and qualities of a species that places it in one place or another in a taxonomy, and of the limited value of those taxonomies.

Also, how the whole idea of nature is a system of values, the basic value being the drive to catalog and systematize everything.

On the other hand, I love beaches and am all for environmentalism, prefer buying organic foods and minimizing waste, have very dear friends who care for the earth, and support them in their recreation, efforts and discoveries. Go figure.