When you consider nature itself… you see that it has neither
awareness nor will. For instance, the nature of fire is to burn; it burns
without consciousness or will. The nature of water is to flow; it flows without
consciousness or will. The nature of the sun is to shed light; it shines
without consciousness or will. The nature of vapour is to rise; it rises
without consciousness or will. It is therefore evident that the natural movements
of all created things are compelled, and that nothing moves of its own will
save animals and, in particular, man.
Man is
able to resist and oppose nature inasmuch as he discovers the natures of things
and, by virtue of this discovery, has mastery over nature itself. Indeed, all
the crafts that man has devised proceed from this discovery. For example, he
has invented the telegraph, which connects the East and the West. It is
therefore evident that man rules over nature.
- ‘Abdu’l-Baha (Table talks
in Akka, authenticated by ‘Abdu’l-Baha; ‘Some Answered Questions’ – 2014
revised translation by the Baha’i World Centre)
