Metaphysics: Naturalist VS Supernaturalist

1262 Words3 Pages

Our worldviews are constructed by the help of Metaphysics, giving us an analytical view of reality and our place in it. But what is Metaphysics? Simply put, it is the study of the nature of reality. It encompasses everything that exists, whether the world is real or just a mere illusion. Without an explanation or interpretation of the world, we would be lost. The degree to which our metaphysical worldview is accurate corresponds with how we are able to understand the world. Two of the main contributors to the developmental worldviews of Metaphysics have been Naturalism or Supernaturalism.
Naturalism worldview relies upon experiences and reasons but solely on scientific evidence to develop an understanding of reality. Therefore, all knowledge of the universe falls within the scope of scientific investigation. Three key ideas are within a naturalist’s worldview and they are: Materialism, The Causal Closure of the Physical and Supervenience. Materialism deals with reality being just a physical universe. The Causal Closure of the Physical supports the fact that physics run the show. Supervenience says all that is true in the world are from the truths of nature and ultimately about physics.
Supernaturalism worldview believes in the divine revelations and denies materialism, The Causal Closure of the Physical and Supervenience. Reality is not just the physical universe, because everything that happens isn’t based only on physics and the ultimate truth goes beyond nature and physics. Materialism is denied because of the idea that there are supernatural beings such as God (or many gods and souls). These divine beings and their truths are not administered by the laws of physics. Supernaturalists agree with the naturalist worldview about ...

... middle of paper ...

... any other thoughts leading to a supernatural being to fill in these so called gaps. That is the KISS method: Keep it simple, Stupid.
Another disagreement with the God of the Gaps is the Pragmatist Principle. This practical strategy simplifies the fact that even if a Supernatural being existed, it wouldn’t aid in the explanation of a naturalist worldview. Naturalists are strongly in the side of science and they conclude that the progress of its work establishes the indication that God makes no difference to the processes of nature. Looking back at history, we see that most of the phenomena that happened to the world have occurred without invoking a supernatural being. In which case, a God doesn’t exist. They don’t need him to seal a gap, because all the signs point to the inclining progress of science.
Personally, I believe in God, so I’m a supernaturalist.

Open Document