Nature,a trialogue

Read the script and discuss it with a neighbor until you understand the positions of the three speakers. Then continue to write the script for this discussion from where it leaves off.

Partovo ("Humans are a Part Of nature"): Humans are living organisms. As such they are part of nature. Therefore, everything they do is natural.

Separato ("Humans have become Separate from nature"): People have lost touch with nature and that is why our environment and our society are in trouble.

Interpreto ("Interpret Socially views about nature and what is natural"): When I hear people draw lessons from nature, I hear them really telling me something about their views on society.

Separato: You'll have to explain this interpretation to me, because, without a sense of what is natural and what is unnatural, anything is acceptable.

Interpreto: But Partovo has a sense of what is natural that tells him everything is acceptable.

Separato: Is that right?

Partovo: Yes.

Separato: So you mean mad cow disease, polio, AIDS, and so on are acceptable?

Partovo: Um, yes. We could look at them as forms of population control for the human species.

Separato: So you wouldn't invest in research for AIDS treatments?

Partovo: No. And I don't think the government should either. AIDS affects mostly gays and IV drug users. Their practices do not meet widely held community standards and so they don't deserve society's help.

Separato: I think you are out of date about who gets AIDS. But, putting that aside, I thought you said anything humans do is natural and thus acceptable.

Partovo: Well, not everything.

Separato: So, what is and what is not?....