Bryan Kam on What Nature Is

In this episode I speak with Bryan Kam, a philosopher based in London and author of the forthcoming book Neither/Nor. We explore the fundamental question of what nature is and discuss:• How ancient Greek concepts of phusis (nature) and nomos (human law) shape our understanding of the natural world.• The tension between static and dynamic views of nature, from Parmenides to Heraclitus.• Scientific materialism's struggle to establish nature's inherent value without religious frameworks.• The Industrial Revolution's transformation of our relationship with nature.• The challenge of preserving "wilderness" in a human-shaped environment.• How urbanization may create an imaginary, disconnected view of nature.• The philosophical tensions revealed in defining what counts as "natural" versus "artificial". This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit discernearth.substack.com