The natural, the supernatural, and the nature of science

by Paul Braterman Science, it is often said, is restricted in principle to the search for natural causes and the rejection of the supernatural; call this intrinsic methodological naturalism (IMN). Here, following the work of Boudry et al. [1], I argue that this view is misguided and damaging. We have not precluded supernatural claims from …

What to do about consciousness

or: How to Deal with Naturalism Without Becoming A New Age Wacko by Mike Trites For people who are not spiritual dualists, we have to eye matter a bit warily. Matter used to be pretty mundane stuff. It sat around and did more or less nothing until some spirit came along to make it think …

Spelling out Scientism, A to Z

by John Shook Friends of religion or spirituality are heard to cry “Scientism!” on occasion. Cultural opponents to scientific or technological strides have used “Scientism!” as a clarion call for resistance as well. Quieter voices have been asking, “Is scientism what I think it is?” The label of scientism may be irretrievably lost to rhetoric …

Identifying the conflict between religion and science — Part III

by David Kyle Johnson Santa Claus and the Origin of Belief  Religious persons will also engage in unscientific thinking in defense of their belief. Consider a child confronting the evidence presented by their older sibling about the non-existence of Santa Claus: the fact that Santa can’t do it all in one night, the fact that …

Identifying the conflict between religion and science — Part II

by David Kyle Johnson Phlogiston and the Soul  Many scientists used to think that heat was the product of a material called phlogiston. It flowed into objects to make them hot and out to make them cold. But when they tested for this material, they could find nothing — objects weighed the same both hot …

Identifying the conflict between religion and science — Part I

by David Kyle Johnson Many, both theists and atheists, acknowledge the conflict between religion and science. This includes New Atheists like Richard Dawkins [1] and also academic philosophers such as John Worall, who argue that one cannot be both purely scientifically minded and religious [2]. Others disagree. Stephen Jay Gould, an agnostic, famously defended the …