Alexander von Humboldt (1769-1859) was a man who believed all of [[Nature]] was interconnected, and that by affecting one aspect of nature, other parts of nature would be affected, too—for good or ill. Humboldt believed that one’s own [[Emotions]] and subjective views were necessary in order to completely experience nature. Simply taking measurements or classifying [[Animals]], plants, rocks and other forms of life would never allow one to fully experience the truth of nature. Born to an aristocratic Prussian family in 1769, Humboldt grew up during the Age of Enlightenment, which emphasised intense observation paired with scientific information as the primary sources of knowledge. However, [[Immanuel Kant]]’s _Critique of Pure Reason_ (1781), which outlined the interplay of inner subjectivity and knowledge of external things, greatly influenced Humboldt’s view of nature as he grew older. According to Kant, when you look at a rock, for example, you are influenced by your own subjective beliefs. Thus, you cannot truly see the rock as a rock-in-itself, as you will always see the external world through a filter of internal senses and emotions. Humboldt likewise claimed that the external world only existed as we perceived it “within ourselves” (Humboldt in Wulf, p. 40). ![[Alexander-von-Humboldt-oil-painting-Friedrich-Georg-1806.jpg]]