Summary

“Dominion Over Nature” is an excerpt from an essay collection written by Robert Pack. The excerpt begins with an attempt to explain humankind’s mixed feelings towards nature. For this, the author goes back to the Bible, where he focuses on the story of Genesis and God’s words after He created humankind. The author mentions God's first two commandments to humans. After commanding mankind to be fruitful and multiply, God also commands humans to subdue and dominate earth and nature. 

Pack believes the second commandment is a projection of people's need to have unlimited control over everything, which does not convey a respectful attitude towards nature. Pack also believes that people should be taught that nature is vulnerable and does not have unlimited resources. He explains that God’s second commandment to humanity does not mean that nature should be replaced with the creation of man. 

The excerpt ends by concluding that replacing nature with human creation will lead to mankind worshiping itself, as there will be nothing else left worth admiring.