In Taoist thought, the proper relationship of humans to nature is that humans are part of an integrated whole.

• A. Humans are separate from nature
• B. Nature is chaotic and opposed to harmony
• C. There is no order in nature
• D. The natural world is an integrated whole

Answer: (D)

In Taoist thought, the world is seen as a single, interconnected system. Humans are not separate rulers over nature; they are participants within the same flow of the Tao. This means everything—humans, animals, plants, mountains, rivers—forms an integrated whole, with harmony arising when we align with the natural order rather than trying to overpower it. Living in accordance with nature involves moving with its rhythms and cycles, practicing flexibility and spontaneous appropriate action (wu wei) rather than forcing outcomes. The idea that the natural world is an integrated whole best reflects this view. The other notions—humans being separate from nature, nature as chaotic, or there being no order—conflict with the Taoist understanding of an orderly, interconnected cosmos.