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Article: Nature
- Article from:
- Encyclopedia of Science and Religion
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2003 The Gale Group Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Nature
Nature refers to the source out of which something has come into being. The word
nature
is derived from the Latin
natura
(birth) or
nasci
(to be born). A similar meaning is found in the Greek
physis,
which means growth. The concept of nature holds a variety of meanings, depending on the relation in which it is understood. In a political setting, nature is often seen in contrast to custom, culture, and law. In religious terms, nature is often opposed to grace and spirit. Viewed philosophically, nature can be understood in contrast to history and freedom. Nature can also be seen as: (1) the object of scientific observation and enquiry; (2) a normative notion, such as the ...
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... ... ipsa potestate. --Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae ... political philosophy of Thomas Aquinas (died 1274) requires much attention to the nature and scope of what and ... modern readers about Thomas Aquinas is that he did not ...
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