According to Nature

If it’s natural, it’s not bad, but more importantly: if it’s bad, it’s not natural.

War is natural, they say. Greed is natural. Cruelty, hatred, abuse, infidelity and disease. They say it’s all natural because it has always existed and is a part of the human experience. It’s natural as in “normal”, but “normal” is not the same as “good”. Nature is always good.

If something is an impediment to a well-functioning life, it’s unnatural. If something curtails our happiness, it’s unnatural, although happiness is rare.

What is in accordance with its nature, works well. Imagine a machine that works perfectly. Not a screw is lacking, it’s oiled and properly maintained; no dust or alien particles interfere with its smooth running. Then it works according to its inventor’s intention – its nature.

The human body is a machine, and it never works perfectly. We are never completely well; a slight cough, an itch, a wounded toe, there’s always something reducing our full performance. But still, this complete and never existing perfection is our true nature. We strive to be well and natural.

Nature is perfection. Nothing is perfect, so everything falls short of its nature, but some things come closer to it; some things are more natural than others.

Nature can’t be wrong since the existence of any organism is a proof that it works. Only humans can be wrong since they have the ability to act against their own nature. They can hurt themselves and others and damage the natural environment that supports them and works so perfectly without human interference.

“Nature” is the common denominator in ethics; the binding link between human behavior towards other humans, towards oneself, and towards the environment. What is bad is what hurts these relationships, what is good is what make them work better. Nature is the measure of all things.