Nature is filled with examples of how the world functions better when things come together and act as one. Ancient philosophers understood this need for unity quite well. In their efforts to explain the world that they observed, they postulated, without the advantage of modern science, that all things were composed of four basic elements: earth, water, air, and fire. Everything that existed was a measured combination of these four elements and could exist in no other way. Earth was the "stuff" of the object observed. Water was added to the stuff to form it into various objects, be it a rock, tree, or human being; air was what filled the stuff. Fire was the glue that solidified the earth, air, and water combination. All things existed as a combination where four became one.

Ancient civiliz…