By claiming that people can come to know nature "by degrees," Emerson now distinguishes which faculties people use in this process. He names these faculties Understanding and Reason, and he attempts to show the relationship between them.
Everything in nature offers lessons that we can learn. Understanding requires our perceiving how natural objects differ from — and resemble — each other. Included as natural objects are Debt and Property, which today would be distinguished as social or economic issues. Emerson suggests that an understanding of Debt and Property is needed most by those who suffer from them, in part because they both teach discipline to people. However, readers might consider Emerson's comments harsh and uncaring, especially given the inflated tone of his language, which bears quoting: "Debt, grinding debt, whose iron face the widow, the orphan, and the sons of genius fear and hate; — debt, which consumes so much time, which so cripples and disheartens a great spirit with cares that seem so base, is a preceptor whose lessens cannot be foregone." He holds Debt and Property equally valid for offering lessons and instruction in life.
Singling out the role of the Will for particular consideration, Emerson argues that exercising the Will teaches the meaning of power — power that we can use to dominate nature and make it a reflection of ourselves. Note that he continually argues for nature's being made to serve us — "It is made to serve" — an idea that is startling, given the generally accepted opinion that Emerson's key ideas include our metaphysically becoming one with nature, and nature's supremely ruling over us. But here he says that we shape nature, and that our wills can mold it into what is useful.
