Christina Galbraith - technology and relationship

 A thought that has been circulating through my head for much of our discussions on tools is our placement among nature and ecology. Birk presented a definition of human beings that emphasizes our separation from nature by our own tools. To an extent I agree with this, but I don't believe that the tools are the root reason for our separation. So what is the reason for our separation? Our desire to improve upon our lives, by medicine or farming technology allowed for the human population to sky rocket. Our resistance to being controlled by natural selection or even carrying capacities, two natural mechanisms that regulate populations and balance ecosystems, has separated us from other extrahumans. Our exponential population growth has created incentives to explore new farming technologies, replacing farming tools that kept us rooted in nature with machines with the highest efficiency, and medical progress to fight any virus/disease that could possibly control our numbers. The Coronavirus pandemic has brought the world to a halt in many ways and is a sharp reminder that we are not gods. Many of our technological advancements, especially in the farming industry have alienated us from nature in my opinion. So much so that it is normal to genetically modify animals to produce livestock that will produce the most meat or dairy. We are manipulating nature to benefit ourselves. Tools are only extensions of our intent, and our intent is what has placed us apart from nature.

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