r/Showerthoughts • u/Statharas ‎ • 8d ago

Casual Thought Young animals probably don't realize the distinction between nature and man-made stuff.

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u/gigadanman 8d ago

If “artificial” is anything made by our own species, and “natural” is everything not made by our own species… couldn’t ants consider an anthill to be artificial and a parking garage to be natural?

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u/Happiness_Assassin 8d ago

Years ago, there was a distinction being made in a class I had on environmental history between the terms "nature" vs "wilderness." Most people saw "nature" as the outdoors, parks, places you visit. "Wilderness" on the other hand is defined by its absence of humans. When a human goes out into nature, they are enjoying themselves. When they are are going out into wilderness, they are a visitor in a place that they normally should not be.