God Who created Man and things, led all the animals to stand before him so that Man would see what to call them for himself.
Man does not view things objectively. He sees them subjectively, from his own perspective as a נפש חיה. Man gave things names based on the impression they give on him. Based on our understanding, we give assign things their place in the world. The word שם which means “name” is the same word for “there”.
The fact that God gives Man the task of naming things tells Man that while he may not grasp the complete truth of what he is observing, he has the right to trust himself enough to presume that he has grasped some of the truth. He can rely on his understanding of the world, limited as it may be, to put it to use to accomplish his mission on earth.
It follows from this that belief in God who created Man and things, is what gives us confidence to engage in scientific study.
(Science is not at odds with Religion. Religion is the basis of Science. GS)
Beraishis 2:19, Pages 66-67
