Nature – a double edged sword by which we humans slay ourselves
Definition: “Nature means the sum of all phenomena, together with the causes which produce them…”
(John Stuart Mill, “On Nature” p. 1)
Explanation: John Stuart Mill, British philosopher and political economist, points out in this essay the confusion we fall into when using the word, “nature”. Nature is viewed as a powerful force outside of us, and nature is viewed as an equally uncontrollable force within us. Are we part of nature or separate from nature? Can human nature be unnatural? The word, “nature” has become an utter paradox.
Wars can result when the definition of “nature” shifts from one meaning to the other.
Example: “It is human nature to want more than we can have; but Nature will not allow us to have all that we desire.”
This confused thinking underlies the chief principle of “scarcity economics” named the “guns and butter” tradeoff” by Paul Samuelson in his classic econ 101 textbook. Let’s sort it out:
Does the above sentence mean that (Mother) Nature has made us want more than we can have, and (Mother) Nature will not allow us to have all of it?
Or does it mean that human nature makes us want more than we can have, and human nature (our own negativity perhaps) will not allow us to have all of it?
Is it Nature or is it nature? What’s the difference?
Note on guns and butter: In 1948 Paul Samuelson started with the idea of a society that produces two goods: guns and butter. Writing in the shadow of World War II with its rationing of tires, stockings, sugar, gas, and other scarce items in the US, Samuelson made his two-good economy one torn between producing military goods or civilian goods. Then he ramped up his guns and butter “metaphor” to stand for public and private spending: “Thus the more resources the government uses to spend on public highways, the less will be left to produce private goods like houses.” [or vice versa].
And so, from the humble beginnings of two simple words, “guns” and “butter,” we get to the present battle of the budget in Washington DC tonight.
Copyright © 2011 Nancy K. Humphreys