You, me, and earthworms?
I absolutely believe that Darwin had the "Golden Rule"of Reciprocity on his mind when he expanded his interest in the earthworm. After reading Pollan's article on "Homes and Gardens: Inner Space"in the Guardian, I compare the two as both being humans of compassion. Pollen spoke of a line of Fir trees on the back of his property that he considered to be "quite impressive"to behold, however, he couldn't help but think of these trees as lumber. At the same time, he was feeling ashamed that he had been part of the destruction of trees, of which he built his very own family home (cabin) with. I think that these men both viewed "everything" as being "reciprocal". The earthworm, for instance, at first seemed almost obviously a pest. Darwin's fascination with the earthworm's purpose was, indeed, extreme, however, worthy. After 20 years he got his proof that the earthworm is a functional and contributing member of Nature. There is now a market for earthworms for compost, fishing, even PETS!...If you "google" earthworms there are all kinds! They are advantageous to soil, fish bite for them, scientists study them... all things make sense. So is the earthworm a "hupokeimenon" for the soil? or the fish that swallow it? Or for the kindergarten child who studies it's behavior in a tank? Since air is the "hupokeimenon" of Earth and Water...Is the Earthworm a "hupoeimenon" all of it's own that supplies all these, although slow in progress, things? Aristotle opposed Rene Descartes "Dualism"(relationship between mind and matter.) During the 1700's, folks like Voltaire challenged Descartes with a new theory on human nature called "Deism"(Let it go...Don't intervene with the affairs of humans...just use reason and observation. I mean, seriously, that's ALL we can do. I, personally , am not a fan of Aristotle, but he doesn't have any spirituality and I think he is arrogant.......and..he keeps changing his mind! .."All is One""..whoops.
I guess the point I'm trying to make here is that all through history, we have taken advantage of the known resources, and the unknown resources as well. We are so quick to judge something (or some being) as useless, when in fact, everything (breathing or not) is a significant part of YOU. We absolutely cannot survive without something else to tie us to.
Posted by paula at 5:15 PM
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I completely agree with the points Paula has made here, especially in her conclusions. Anything that has the ability to live has a purpose in life, no matter how Infinitesimally small that purpose may be from a human's perspective. I'm glad that children's programs are beginning to focus more on science and the small wonders of the world; nearly any show on the Green or Discovery channels is sure to teach everyone something new about the world around them. Reciprocity is getting lost in a world where greed and power mask all of the finer points of life. We miss out on witnessing truly amazing forms of life and their inner workings, such as earthworms, because we're too distracted by those things only important to humans.
ReplyDeleteTotally and utterly agreed as well. I am a teacher of young children in summer discovery camps as well as a program through Penn State called Outdoor School. We teach how everything living does have a purpose and it is important to understand and notice that purpose. I think we as humans take the term "bigger picture" too literally. We bypass everything that it takes to make that larger picture. It is vital that we understand the connections and webs (no pun intended) that tie us to everything else in nature and not in nature. This ties in perfectly with the discussion of form, function, material, etc.
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