Ronald Bailey on the Art of Managing Nature

In his Metaphysics, ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle observed, "Of things that come to be, some come to be by nature, some by art." According to Aristotle, natural entities have internal spontaneous sources of movement, whereas artificial objects are created by activity outside themselves. Today, all ecosystems and landscapes function less and less spontaneously and are increasingly shaped by human art. Reason Science Correspondent Ronald Bailey argues that the central question is: What institutions are best for balancing our conflicting desires and goals when it comes to artfully managing nature?