NATURE 1 0 1

Today, class, we will look at the nature of various species of life and how their nature determines how they should be treated.

AFRICAN LILY This plant thrives when grown on the edges of lakes and running streams. If it is exposed to frost, it will die.

DOMESTIC CAT This is a predatory carnivore by nature that hunts vermin, snakes and scorpions. It likes food rich in amino acids but should not be fed sugary foods since it is lactose intolerant. It also has difficulty digesting plant-derived nutrients. Neutering reduces its risk of getting certain cancers.

HUMAN A bipedal primate of the homo sapien family. It has a highly developed brain that is extremely curious and capable of abstract reasoning, language, introspection and problem solving. It has the unique quality of perceiving beauty and creating aesthetics (art and music).

It also has a highly developed power of choice, the free exercise of which is critical to its mental health and happiness. The extent to which a human society flourishes has been shown to be directly related to the extent to which its government recognizes this natural desire to choose. The greater this recognition--politically referred to as "freedom"--the greater and more developed is the society and its citizenry enjoy the benefits of a higher standard of living and greater likelihood of attaining happiness. In those societies in which choice is restrained, humans tend to become anguished and hostile, even violent.

ELEPHANT The largest land mammal known for its memory and an intelligence comparable to hominids that plays, uses tools, has high self-awareness and manifests altruism. It has no natural predators and its existence is threatened only by human intrusion and poaching. Its trunk is so sensitive it can pick up a single blade of grass and is strong enough to rip branches off a tree.

The elephant is not fully domesticated. The male is difficult to domesticate but some have been used as weapons in war. Some females have been tamed and used in the logging industry. All elephants must be watched for moments of ferocious rage.

The nature of each species of life illuminates the most efficient and appropriate way of dealing with it. With regard to humans, it is the only proper standard of of what is right or wrong, morally speaking, and it sets the limits of government power.

A species can only survive in accordance with its nature. To treat a species contrary to its nature is to impose a death sentence on it.