This is the case with the plants.

This is the case with the plants. Still some other things have a greater role. Their role is conscious, though not free. They endeavor to ensure their survival with a sort of self-consciousness and some knowledge of their environment. That is the case with the animals. But man has a more active, more effective and more extensive role in making his future. His role is conscious as well as free. He is conscious of himself as well as of his environment.

By means of his will and power of reasoning he can choose his future as he likes. Incidentally man's role is far more extensive and vaster than that of an animal. The extensiveness of the sphere of man's role in regard to his future originates from three characteristics peculiar to him: (i) Extensiveness of the range of his information: Man by means of his knowledge extends the range of his information from the superficialities to the depth of nature.

He knows the laws of nature and by using them can mould nature to be in a harmony with the requirements of his life. (ii) Extensiveness of the range of his desires: We have mentioned this characteristic of man earlier under the following two headings: Man and Animal, and man as a multidimensional being. (iii) Man has a special self-making ability: No other being can be compared to him in this respect.

Though in certain other living organisms also like plants and animals certain changes can be brought about by means of special training factors, none of them can make these changes independently. It is man who introduces required changes in them. Moreover, as compared to man, their changeability is very limited. In regard to his qualities and habits man is only a potential being that is he is born devoid of any qualities and faculties.

In contrast, each animal is born with a number of its special qualities. As man lacks any sort of quality and habit and at the same time he is capable of acquiring a lot of them. Acquiring them gradually he secures for himself a number of 'secondary dimensions' in addition to his inborn dimensions. Man is the only being to whom the law of creation has provided with a painting brush to paint his features as he likes.

Contrary to the formation of his physical organs, which is completed while he is still in his mother's womb, the formation of his psychological organs known as his qualities, habits and moral character, is mostly completed after he has been born.