"Indeed, we have not any organ at all for knowing, or for 'truth.' We 'know' (or believe or fancy) just as much as may be of use in the interest of the human herd, the species; and even what is here called 'usefulness' is ultimately only a belief, a fancy, and perhaps the most fatal stupidity by which we shall one day be ruined." "Joyful Wisdom" The Genius of the Species No. 354. "The individual is, in his future and his past, apiece of fate, one law more, one necessity more for everything that is and everything that will be. To say to him 'change yourself means to demand that everything should change, even in the past..." "Twilight of the Idols" Morality as Antinature No. 6.                                                         —Friedrich Nietzsche
			Introduction
	Why is the species, Homo sapiens on the brink of destroying the environmental conditions necessary for his existence? What I write is not intended as yet another ingenious stratagem to forestall this destruction. Just otherwise, it is to write that because of the innate qualities of H. sapiens, evolved since his advent some two and three hundred thou¬sand years ago, the destruction is inevitable.       Only rarely have the small minority who are concerned about this destruction tried to determine the root, basic reasons of its cause. H. sapiens is an experiment as is any species, equipped with certain properties which enable it to exist in certain environments. Many species have gone through cycles of growth and development followed by attenuation and sometimes extinction. The great pandemics of the world ended, not because of human intervention, but because enough susceptible hosts were destroyed to make growth and spread no longer possible. In this regard H. sapiens is no different from other species. Simply by utilization of his evolved biological characteristics he is propagating beyond the recovery of his host, the earth. The proof or disproof of these assertions is impossible; however, one has only to study paleontological records, history and what is going on in the world today, without bias of religion, societal or ethnic constraints or personal needs to reach these conclusions. For the earth, H. sapiens is probably the most devastating catastrophe to occur. But like other plagues he will run his course and become extinct.       We are constantly regaled with descriptions of the consequences of the use of fossil fuels, loss of rain forest, starvation in the third world, pollution with nuclear and other wastes, industrial and agricultural poisons, political and gang warfare, and the plight of endangered species and on and on. But these descriptions are only symptoms of the disease, produced in entertaining format. They are designed to appeal to the already concerned minority to engage in such activities as recycling, use of energy saving and antipollution devises, promotion of parks, preserves and zoos where endangered species can be confined and bred. To suggest that such stratagems will prevent destruction of conditions required by H. sapiens to survive is inane. The destruction marches on unabated in ever increasing amounts; witness the futile attempts to make the most urgently needed agreements at world conferences on the environment.       Natural selection has occurred largely as a response to danger. This response has taken innumerable forms, resulting in the diversity of living things. Mankind has avoided danger by the use of his brain. With his brain he created the concept of the supernatural, which strengthened cohesiveness among groups, allayed his fears, provided confidence and could be called upon to aid in aggression and defense. These basic requirements for survival evolved into the societal structure of the present.       In Shanadar cave in the Zagros mountains of Iraq, burial of a young, apparently handicapped male, together with flowers, was found by the archeologist, Ralph Solecki. This burial and other similar ones occurred some 60,000 years ago and was representative of ritual burials carried out by H. sapiens neanderthales. These burials are hailed as early evidence of belief in something beyond nature. These beliefs, already manifested in prehistoric man represent a definitive direction taken by mankind. They represent the very essence of religious belief today: belief in immortal spiritual existence and faith in the supernatural to provide protection against adversity and fear of the unknown. These beliefs represent a sort of quid pro quo agreement with the supernatural; on the one side, belief and faith in an all powerful being whose favor can be influenced by anything from human sacrifice, to ritual, to prayer and adoption of an existence characterized by guilt, submissiveness, self denial and self sacrifice; on the other side, freedom from fear of catastrophic natural events, enemies, and finally death by the promise of an idyllic life after death.       By accepting an all powerful, all knowing supernatural being who determines everything in the universe according to his laws (or whims depending on the brand of belief,) mankind renounced his responsibility for himself and his environment. It justified his destruction of other species. In so doing he forfeited any possibility for true freedom. This direction traveled by H. sapiens has been universal from the most primitive hunter gatherers to the most sophisticated attempts to reconcile knowledge achieved by man with belief and faith. This loss of responsibility in exchange for dependence on the mythic supernatural has become an instinctive part of the behavior of H. sapiens. The power of this belief and faith has produced the most unspeakable suffering and cruelty, has justified the most inhumane wars with their ultimate destruction of nature and is largely responsible for the unlimited propagation of the human race.       The manufacture of stone tools by early man is evidence that the favor of supernatural forces was not always enough. The gods favored those who had the most and best materia. Feelings of security engendered by materia, whether it be flint arrowheads or nuclear warheads or even a life style filled with luxurious possessions has created through the ages, along with religion, a dependence on materia.       Humankind has always been destructive to other species. For example, it has been found that on tropical Pacific Islands humans caused a "biodiversity crises" which began thousands of years ago. With the advent of agriculture and the domestication of animals a large part of temperate zone forest was destroyed and land denuded. Even these attempts to obtain the basic needs of food and shelter were destructive, but they were slight when compared with the destruction which began with the industrial revolution. The acquisition of materia became a way of life and the aim and goal of individuals and nations as a means of protection. With the ideal of democracy, bestowing on every individual the right and possibility to acquire and possess all he can, the meaning of democracy for most individuals, the final bell was tolled.       Overproduction, for the provision of jobs for the world's billions, in keeping with religious ideals of work and purpose, are the goals of every government world-wide. The universal possibility to acquire wealth secured the permanence of these goals by allowing the creation of powerful self interest incentives among individuals, organizations and nations. Competition among these interests produced an ever escalating number and variety of materia, the sale of which is insured by the advertising industry, credit buying, and the ever doubling population.       Nothing short of a complete change in human society would save the earth as a host for H. sapiens. This would require no less than changing the basic nature of H. sapiens. This will not happen. The innate qualities of H. sapiens preclude even a recognition of the need for this change. The direction taken by H. sapiens, in response to fear, dependence on the supernatural with its consequent societal organization, and on materia were probably necessary for survival. The most compelling question for mankind is: will knowledge and technology succeed in overcoming this dependence?       It is doubtful if the answer will be known before it is too late. Most of those concerned about the plight of the earth would be horrified and empirically deny the basic qualities inherent in H. sapiens are those qualities by which he has lived and by which he will die.