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Nature
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{{dablink|For alternative meanings, see
nature (disambiguation). For the scientific journal, see ''
Nature (journal)''.}}
Image:universe.jpg universe.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|The deepest visible-light image of the [[universe, the
Hubble Ultra Deep Field. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, S. Beckwith (STScI) and the HUDF team..html" title="Meaning of The deepest visible-light image of the [[universe">thumb|The deepest visible-light image of the [[universe, the
Hubble Ultra Deep Field. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, S. Beckwith (STScI) and the HUDF team.">The deepest visible-light image of the [[universe">thumb|The deepest visible-light image of the [[universe, the
Hubble Ultra Deep Field. Image Credit: NASA, ESA, S. Beckwith (STScI) and the HUDF team.
Image:The Earth seen from Apollo 17.jpg Earth.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|View of the [[Earth as seen by the
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moon..html" title="Meaning of View of the [[Earth">thumb|View of the [[Earth as seen by the
Apollo 17 crew traveling toward the
moon.">View of the [[Earth">thumb|View of the [[Earth as seen by the
Apollo 17 crew traveling toward the
moon.
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Image:HAtomOrbitals.png hydrogen atom.html" title="Meaning of thumb thumb|The first few [[hydrogen atom electron orbitals shown as cross-sections with color-coded probability density.html" title="Meaning of The first few [[hydrogen atom">thumb|The first few [[hydrogen atom
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'''Nature''' (also called '''the material world''', '''the material universe''', '''the natural world''', and '''the natural universe''') is all
matter and
energy, especially in its essential form. Nature is the subject of
science scientific study, and the history of the concept is linked to the history of science. The English word derives from a
Latin term, natura, which was in turn a translation of a
Greek language Greek term, physis (φÏ?σις). Natura is related to the Latin words relating to "
childbirth birth", while physis relates to Greek words relating to "
growth". In
Orders of magnitude (length) scale, "nature" includes everything from the
universe universal to the
subatomic particle subatomic. This includes all things animal, plant, and
mineral; all
natural resources and events (
hurricanes,
tornadoes,
earthquakes). It also includes the
behaviour of living
animals, and processes associated with inanimate
objects - the "way" that things change.
Divisions of nature
Nature outside Earth and its atmosphere
Events and phenomena outside
Earth and its
earth's atmosphere atmosphere are in the natural science of
astronomy.
Life
Life, the characteristics and
behaviors of
organisms, how
species and individuals come into existence, and the interactions they have with each other and with their
natural environment environment are all in the natural science of
biology. The branch of biology that focuses on the relationships of organisms and their environment is the science of
ecology.
Chemicals
The structure, properties, composition, and
chemical reaction reactions of
chemical elements and
chemical compound compounds are part of the natural science of
chemistry.
Matter and force
The behaviour and interactions of
matter and
Force (physics) force are a part of the natural science of
physics.
Earth
Everything relating to the planet
Earth (planet) Earth is a part of
earth science.
Philosophy of nature
Metaphysics
In
philosophy, the view that the material world of atoms, animals, gravity, stars, wind, microbes, etc., actually exist independently of our observations of them is termed
realism; the opposing view is called
idealism.
The natural and the artificial
A distinction is often drawn between the "natural" and the "artificial" (="man-made"). Can such a distinction be justified? One approach is to exclude
mind from the realm of the natural; another is to exclude not only mind, but also
humans and their influence. In either case, the boundary between the natural and the artificial is a difficult one to draw (see
mind-body problem). Some people believe that the problem is best avoided by saying that everything is natural, but that does little to clarify the concept of the "artificial". In any event,
ambiguity ambiguities about the
distinction between the natural and the artificial animate much of
art,
literature and
philosophy.
Another approach is to distinguish ''natural processes'' and ''artificial (man-made) processes''. In this viewpoint, a
process is deemed to occur either at the behest of man, or not. For example, flipping a light switch might illuminate a room, or perhaps a sunrise might illuminate that room. In this viewpoint, the sunrise would be termed a ''natural process''; the decision of a human being to flip the light switch would be termed an artificial illumination, in contrast. In this viewpoint, ''artifice'' (
art or
literature) is clearly the result of willful human action; furthermore, the act of stating a philosophical position could also be a willful action (and hence at the behest of man), whether or not the content of the philosophy were to be about science. Natural processes, especially as used by organisms, may also be known as
wildness.
The distinction between what is natural and artificial was initially important, as far as we know, to the ancient Greeks. Perhaps their main interest was in distinguishing good aims from ones that have been distorted. In modern times, such philosophers as
David Hume and
John Stuart Mill have criticised attempts to give any moral importance to the distinction.
Beauty in nature
The writer Steven Fry has commented that if we look around us, anything ugly that we see will have been created by human hands; this exemplifies a widely held view that nature is intrinsically
beauty beautiful. That the beauty of nature has been celebrated by so large a proportion of our
art is further proof of the strength of this association between nature and beauty. Many scientists also share the conviction that nature is beautiful; the French mathematician,
Henri Poincaré Jules Henri Poincaré (1854-1912) said:
"The scientist does not study nature because it is useful; he studies it because he delights in it, and he delights in it because it is beautiful.
If nature were not beautiful, it would not be worth knowing, and if nature were not worth knowing, life would not be worth living. Of course I do not here speak of that beauty that strikes the senses, the beauty of quality and appearances; not that I undervalue such beauty, far from it, but it has nothing to do with science; I mean that profounder beauty which comes from the harmonious order of the parts, and which a pure intelligence can grasp."
Related concepts
The term
natural science is used in a variety of ways, primarily:
* to denote the study of ''natural
processes'' as opposed to ''human activities'', in contrast to the
social sciences; and
* to denote those
sciences which employ the
scientific method, in contrast, for example, to
mathematics or
computer science.
The term
natural philosophy formerly named the scientific discipline now known as
physics.
Natural theology straddles the disciplines of
theology and
philosophy of religion.
In
education and related areas, the contrast "natural/artificial" can appear as "
nature versus nurture nature/nurture".
See also:
praeternatural,
unnatural and
supernatural.
See also
*
Biophilia
*
Mother Nature
*
Naturefriends
*
Natural environment
*
Natural units (Planck units)
*
Materialism
*
Next nature
*
Naturalism (Philosophy): the philosophical stance based on
Materialism and
Pragmatism that rejects the validity of explanations making use of entities inaccessible to
natural science (compare with
supernatural).
*
Wilderness
External links
{{wikiquote}}
-
The Nature Conservancy - a charitable organization devoted to preserving natural diversity worldwide
-
English Nature UK government organization devoted to preserving natural diversity in the UK
-
Nature Detectives An online research and education project for under 18s in the UK
-
A Guide to Nature and Wildlife Conservation
-
Nature (1869-1875) This collection of Nature provides insight into the developments and achievements of science at the end of the nineteenth century.
-
Nature Picture
Category:Environmental science
Category:Nature
ast:Natur
be:Прырода
bn:প�রকৃতি
ca:Natura
cs:PÅ™Ãroda
cv:Çутçанталăк
da:Natur
de:Natur
el:ΦÏ?ση
eo:Naturo
es:Naturaleza
et:Loodus
fi:Luonto
fr:Nature
he:טבע
id:Alam
io:Naturo
it:Natura
ja:自然
ko:ìž?ì—°
lt:Gamta
mk:Природа
ms:Alam Semulajadi
nl:Natuur
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no:Nature
os:Æрдз
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pt:Natureza
ru:Природа
simple:Nature
sl:Narava
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vi:Tự nhiên
zh:自然
zh-min-nan:Chū-jiân
Image:The_Earth_seen_from_Apollo_17.jpg thumb|300px|right|View of the [[Earth as seen by the
Apollo 17 crew.]]
{{sisterlinkswp|Category:Nature}}
'''Nature''' (also called '''the material world''', '''the material universe''', '''the natural world''', and '''the natural universe''') is all
matter and
energy, especially in its essential form.
In
orders of magnitude (length) scale, 'nature' includes everything from the
universe universal to the
subatomic particle subatomic. This includes all things animal, plant, and
mineral; all
natural resources and events (
hurricanes,
tornadoes,
earthquakes). It also includes the
behaviour of living
animals, and the
processes associated with inanimate
objects.
{{catmore}}
Category:Fundamental
cs:Kategorie:PÅ™Ãroda
de:Kategorie:Natur
fr:Catégorie:Nature
ko:분류:�연
io:Category:Naturo
hu:Kategória:Természet
nl:Categorie:Natuur
ja:Category:自然
no:Kategori:Natur
os:Категори:Æрдз
ro:Categorie:Natură
ru:КатегориÑ?:Природа
sk:Kategória:PrÃroda
sl:Kategorija:Narava
vi:Thể loại:Tự nhiên
tr:Kategori:DoÄŸa
uk:КатегоріÑ?:Природа
zh:Category:自然
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