How Natural Is Natural Insecticide?

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There have been many advances in the field of natural insecticide. Some would say that some of the advancements are not for the better. This is because the natural insecticide is not exactly in the state that nature gave it to us in. So, how natural is natural insecticide?

Some of the people who grapple with this issue are those who seek to do their part in keeping the natural world in balance. They believe that the earth is an ecological system in which every living entity has a part to play. They have a strict idea of what natural insecticide is.

They don't have faith in a system where, as they believe, the balance is upset by one species. They believe that man's emphasis on technological progress is damaging to the planet by its very nature. These people are extremely uncomfortable with biotechnology and its changing of natural insecticide.

Then, there are those who don't agree that there is balance or harmony in nature. They see the world as a constantly changing system where new developments are always coming along. Advancements in natural insecticide are only one of them. Also, while the first group of people attributes good will to the "Mother Earth," the second group sees no morality to earth, good or bad.

The people who see the world as ever-changing, the naturalists, are more likely to recognize the destructiveness of nature. They recognize that hurricanes, floods, and tornadoes, are devastating occurrences. Famine and disease can also be caused by nature.

For this reason, naturalists see the world as something to be explored and understood. They may enjoy a beautiful waterfall, but they feel no reverence for it. They believe that a human being has intelligence in order to do a part in advancing the health of the planet. Part of this is in further development of natural insecticide.

These naturalists, unlike those who believe in the Mother Nature idea, believe that biotechnology can produce products as natural as any other natural insecticide. They don't see the difference in using biotechnology for agriculture and using laboratory science to make pharmaceuticals, for instance. They see biotechnology for natural insecticide as a good thing.

Naturalists are more likely to see the similarities between biotechnology and the cross-breeding of plants and animals that has been done for centuries. We have always used this method, if not this particular technique. Now it is being used with a natural insecticide.

At issue are bioengineered crops such as Bt corn. Bacillus thurengiensis is a natural insecticide that has been used for many years. Now, it is being put into the genetic structure of corn. This makes the corn resistant to insects.

However, many say that, now that the Bt is in the corn, it is no longer a natural insecticide. Those with a Gaia world view, that is those who believe in Mother Nature, are likely to believe this. The naturalists believe that Bt corn is a normal advancement.

This argument carries over into all the biotechnological advancements in natural insecticide. The naturalists just believe they are using their God-given intelligence to make the world a better place. Those with a Gaia world view think they are over-stepping.