Socially Creating Nature

While I was reading the required reading for Tuesday I contemplated the meaning of some of the things that Neil Evernden had written about humans and how we have created the concept and idea of nature. I agree with this statement about our own creation of nature but who is to say that we are right in our assumptions.

Science is an imperfect study trying to describe relationships that we know nothing about. I have heard it said by a number of professors here at the University of Utah that science does not know everything but with time and more research they can come to a knowledge about anything. I struggle with this at times. I have a skeptical mind and think we shouldn't make assumptions until we know the whole truth. Anyways, back to Evernden.

Evernden used the argument that there are two sides to the argument (there may in fact be more but for our sake there are two). The one side is based in the ideas of the environmentalists that want humanity to slow down and think about the consequences of their actions. We must think about the future and what the use of natural resources is going to do to hinder future progress by future generations, according to environmentalists. The other side of the issue deals with the industrialists that think that nature is here to help humanity progress and move forward. Both sides scream that if we do not hearken to the other all progress will be lost and impeded.
The question that is blaring in my mind is how do we know? How can we be so sure that by us using energy to power our lives is going to create a mile high tidal wave that will wipe out the coastal regions and alter America like nothing ever has before? How do we know that we have enough resources to last for even another year? This life is tricky and all we can do is move forward trying out one concept after another until our maker says we have had enough.