Guaranteed Existence of Species |
August 6, 1995
Q: One of the provisions of Prout's Neo-Magna Charta is that the existence of plant and animal species should be guaranteed. Yet extinction of species is a part of nature and to some extent beyond human control. So in what specific sense is this provision of the Neo-Magna Charta to be taken?
It is a very good question. While the existence and development of a given species cannot be guaranteed, yet human beings can do their utmost to make certain that they are not the cause of the ill-begotten fate of any living creatures. Nature will do as she must, and even human beings will become extinct. So their preservation of no species can be guaranteed. But the defense of their welfare by human beings can be pledged. You see, to say you will guarantee that a species does not become extinct is as imperialistic as to say you will conquer and use the natural world for human exploitation. Both statements reflect an attitude of ownership which is misbegotten. The natural world does not belong to human beings. If anything, all that can be said is that human beings are given the duty to defend the lesser creatures based upon their superior intellect and capacity. Because of their ability, this burden falls on the human being. But it should not be mistaken for ownership or control, for the mighty forces of nature are even greater than the human mind. One day human beings themselves will become extinct. So no human being should presume to control the forces of nature, only to be her guardian and to assist the Great Mother in her work. |