Are humans in control of nature?

Humans are not fully in control of nature, according to the insights from various experts. While human activities have significantly altered natural processes, such as the nitrogen cycle via synthetic fertilizers, these changes often result in unforeseeable consequences and complex problems that cannot be easily undone 1 .

Daniel Botkin emphasizes that while humans have had major effects on nature, natural systems are only "partially controllable." This notion reflects the enormous complexity and resilience of natural ecosystems, which often react in unpredictable ways to human interventions 2 .

Furthermore, the perspective of controlling nature as an ongoing endeavor, akin to running a machine, has led to numerous ecological disturbances from well-intended actions, suggesting that our understanding of ecological systems and their management is still very limited 2 .

This conversation around human control over nature also includes ethical and philosophical questions about our relationship with the planet and the arrogance potentially involved in thinking we can completely control it. It emphasizes the importance of humility and responsibility in our interventional approaches 3 .