Sure, changing some things in my natural environment might be a very bad idea. Failing to change some things in my natural environment might be a very bad idea too.
And, yes, human history is a long series of decisions along these lines: do we build habitations, or keep living in caves? Do we build roads, cities, power grids, airplanes, trains? Do we mine the earth for fuel, for building materials, for useful chemicals? Do we burn fuel on a large scale? Do we develop medicines and tools that interfere with the natural course of biological development when that course is uncomfortable? Etc. Etc. Etc.
Mostly, humanity’s answer is “Yes.” If we can do it, we typically do, just ’cuz.
Have we thereby caused bad consequences? Sure.
Have we thereby caused net bad consequences? Well, I suppose that depends on what you value, and on what you consider the likeliest counterfactual states, but if you think we have I’d love to hear your reasons.
Me, I think we’re unambiguously better off for having chopped Chesterton’s Fallen Tree into firewood and burned it to keep warm through Chesterton’s Deadly Winter. And in practice, when I see a fallen tree in my yard, I don’t devote a noticeable amount of time to evaluating the possible important-but-nonobvious benefits it is providing by lying there before I deal with it.
Sure, changing some things in my natural environment might be a very bad idea.
Failing to change some things in my natural environment might be a very bad idea too.
And, yes, human history is a long series of decisions along these lines: do we build habitations, or keep living in caves? Do we build roads, cities, power grids, airplanes, trains? Do we mine the earth for fuel, for building materials, for useful chemicals? Do we burn fuel on a large scale? Do we develop medicines and tools that interfere with the natural course of biological development when that course is uncomfortable? Etc. Etc. Etc.
Mostly, humanity’s answer is “Yes.” If we can do it, we typically do, just ’cuz.
Have we thereby caused bad consequences? Sure.
Have we thereby caused net bad consequences? Well, I suppose that depends on what you value, and on what you consider the likeliest counterfactual states, but if you think we have I’d love to hear your reasons.
Me, I think we’re unambiguously better off for having chopped Chesterton’s Fallen Tree into firewood and burned it to keep warm through Chesterton’s Deadly Winter. And in practice, when I see a fallen tree in my yard, I don’t devote a noticeable amount of time to evaluating the possible important-but-nonobvious benefits it is providing by lying there before I deal with it.