> Jonathan Arm
Methodological naturalism, as far as I understand it from what was
discussed at the NTSE conference, is the assumption of a natural
universe (as opposed to one with a supernatural aspect) when doing
science, regardless of one's metaphysical or religious viewpoint. For
instance, I am a Christian, and so I have a metaphysical worldview that
allows the intervention of the supernatural. However, in my own field
of study, animal behavior, I would not assume that God is intervening
on an individual chimpanzee during the time I am observing it to make
it act abnormally. I would assume that the behavior I observe is
natural. In esence, I am doing science to test the natural law, not
the rare exceptions when God interfeers with their functioning. I
don't have a "God factor" in my science, but that doesn't mean that I
think He doesn't exist.
I hope that was clear.
In Christ,
Jason Alley