Human beings have always
posed certain questions
that are vital to them but
impossible to answer. Indeed,
no philosopher, thinker or
scholar has been able to
provide definite answers to
such questions nor are they
likely to, in future: What is the
purpose of creation? Where
do we come from and where
are we destined for? However,
although these questions may
be of greatest importance to
us, they do not affect our lives
directly. On the other hand, there
are questions which are not
often posed but which are just
as vital to us, to our future and
to our very existence, and which
can be answered. One such
vital question is: “How should we
humans treat and interact with
nature?”
There was a time when humans
found themselves faced with a
cruel and powerful nature: with
earthquakes, floods and such
disasters that made the fear of
wild beasts seem insignificant.
Fear and ignorance led human
begins to superstitions and
mysterious beliefs about
nature and creation. As human
knowledge expanded and
more and more mysteries
about natural phenomena
were resolved, human fear of
nature decreased and their
self-confidence increased. So
much so that in the 18th century
the humanist school emerged
and put man at the center of all
universe and the entire creation.
According to this school of
thinking everything existed for
the sake of humans.
Gradually humans gained
increasing power over nature: they developed powerful
machines, and aircraft that
allowed them to fly; they reached
and landed on the moon; they
traveled to other planets and
made computers that could think
almost like humans themselves.
Meanwhile, they were treating
nature mercilessly, damaging the
environment, destroying forests
and jungles, polluting water and
air, turning peaceful villages into
jungles of concrete and steel…
Then, there were alarming signs
which humans were clever
enough to notice despite their
selfishness and greed: a dead
nature would mean the end of
human life, and humans are too
clever to let their species face
extinction as has happened to
other species in the past.
The initial human feeling that
nature dominates human life
and that humans are trapped
within a blind and cruel nature
with merciless gods that enjoy
playing games with the helpless
men and women down below,
was just as dangerous as the
humanist theory that put humans
above nature, in control of
nature, superior to nature. The
age when the human being felt
inferior vis-à-vis nature has long
gone bye but this does not mean
that humans are superior to
nature and can exploit it as they
wish. We cannot exist without
nature but nature can survive
without us. Therefore, we should
humbly submit to it and preserve
it in order to preserve ourselves.
There must be a new age in
which humans become fully
aware of the value of nature, of
the vital role it plays in human
life and in the quality of this
life. And because today human
relations and modern societies
are shaped by organizations,
it is these very organizations
that must help people change
their views and respect nature.
We have to be aware that
every human being and every
community and especially every
organization must be at the
service of nature, to ensure
the quality of human life, clean
air, pure water, green forests
and safe environments… for all
species. 
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