Nature is a beautiful thing. There’s just something wonderful about the idea that we can actually see the natural world and not be contaminated by its ills. Nature is beautiful because it is rarely if ever done wrong. There are many reasons to appreciate nature. From the awe-inspiring view of the Grand Canyon to the humdrum landscapes of Oklahoma, nature is awe-inspiring and comforting in just the right doses.
The natural world is awe-inspiring, because it is full of complexity and diversity, even in its simplest forms. When you step back and look at the amazing variety of life that exists on earth, you might even find yourself wondering if there is a deeper explanation for all this beauty. If there is a deeper explanation for all this beauty, then isn’t nature beautiful as a whole?
One of the most basic questions we ask of nature is why it is so beautiful. Is nature beautiful in spite of the fact that it is full of complexity and diversity? Is beauty inherent in nature because it is part and parcel of its purpose or design? Does beauty exist independent of the purpose, design and complexity of the natural world and living things on it?
The natural world and living things on it serve a very important purpose. They help to maintain the planet in a state of equilibrium. Without the Earth’s ecosystem, there wouldn’t be much incentive to go out and create elaborate gardens, parks, mountains and so on. While many would argue that beauty is an attribute of mankind and can be attributed to our culture alone, without the Earth as a balance and a place for all to thrive, nature itself would quickly be ruined.
So the beauty of nature has both a utilitarian and a spiritual quality to it. On the one hand, nature is beautiful for the reason that it provides a useful service to the entire ecosystem. Every aspect of nature, from ocean depths to towering skyscrapers, serves to provide food, shelter and safety to all the creatures that live on or in it.
In addition to providing for the ecosystem, nature also provides an enormous supply of food, which all organisms in the ecosystem feed on. Even though we’ve domesticated animals and plants over the years, nature has provided a way for us to survive and flourish without them. It also provides a way for animals and plants to travel, communicate and survive in extreme environments. The sheer variety of wildlife and plant life on our planet is testament to this fact. And nature is also a great teacher and example to us. Through the seasons, the sun’s light and the rains, nature provides a wealth of information about the world around us.
The truth is that the only reason nature exists at all is because the universe itself has a very positive effect on it. The solar system, the earth and the ocean keep each other in existence by providing a steady flow of food, oxygen and other elements that are necessary for the survival of every single organism that lives on or in them. This is actually the very definition of nature. When you look at nature, you see something that is pretty much perfect. There is nothing that could possibly go wrong with the natural environment, and everything that does goes right.
When you read that statement, you might immediately think “well, that’s not true.” But it is actually true. When you look at nature and the natural environment as a whole, it stands out as something that is beautiful beyond your own personal definitions. It also stands out as something that supports human life. Now, that doesn’t mean that all the plants, animals and insects on the planet to support human life in some kind of way. However, it does mean that they help to maintain a balance that helps to make the earth a better place for us to live in.