Uniquely is man constructed as a self-regulating creature. All others are entirely programmed, thus with no need for reflective awareness of their actions. Man, though, is born with a sense of freedom, a feeling of being able to choose from various courses of action, and with choice comes the apparent need to make right choices – ergo his self-regulating structure.
All of man’s multifaceted cultural, political, religious and educational life can be seen as this self- regulating instinct in action. Even as men say they are struggling to: “Know the truth,” “Build a better society,” “Eradicate ignorance,” “Live by the laws of God,” what they are doing is regulating themselves.
Regulating a piece of machinery requires there be a set standard, separate from the machinery itself. You start up an engine and it automatically runs as determined by the laws of physics inherent in its design. Beyond that natural point, any regulating of it will and must come from a decision made by an entity outside the engine, (the human operator), based on some extrinsic standard decided on by the outside force.
Regulating the operation of any equipment implies that if left to its own nature, its operation would be unsatisfactory. (Unsatisfactory to some outside force with the ostensible ability to make such a decision, and apparent potential to carry it out.)
Inherent in man’s instinct for self-regulation is the belief that he needs such. Elephants do not, eels do not, elms do not; all the rest of life goes on about their business with no fuss, no hesitation. No question of whether they are overdoing some particular thing, whether they are taking some certain action too far; no form of life feels that it must watch-what-it-does because of its need to regulate what it does. Elephants elephant, and elms elm. Only man feels that he may be overdoing the – man-thing.
J.