Re: [asa] Science's Blind Spot: The Unseen Religion of Scientific Naturalism

Those who know anything about my views know that I have always been very critical of the notion that there is "just one singular scientific method." E.g., more than once on this list quoted approvingly the statement of Percy Bridgman that "science is doing your damedest with your mind with no holds barred." & on p.60 of The Cosmos in the Light of the Cross I state clearly, "Scientists do not follow a single recipe-like 'scientific method.'" Examples could be multiplied greatly. This means, inter alia, that the methods appropriate to physics or chemistry are not all the same as those appropriate to sociology or anthropology.

On the whole question of what should be considered "nature" I'm going to quote a few sentences from a recent offlist post of mine to Gregory:

    But as I pointed out to you some time ago, there is an old & quite respectable tradition in which (natura naturata), the totality of created things, is distinguished from natura naturans, God. (Dictionary of Philosophy, s.v. "Nature 'naturing.'") The type of definition of MN which Ted gives is using words like nature, natural &c in the sense of natura naturata, "nature "natured." In that sense human beings, societies &c are "natural."

This distinction expresses the fundamental theological distinction between God and the world, creator and creation, and is thus most appropriate for a theological discussion of the issues under consideration. & far from being an invention of the scientific revolution or the Enlightenment, it is an old scholastic distinction. The issue here is not angels, bodhisattvas, bogeymen or anything else "supernatural" but simply the distinction between God and everything that isn't God.

I'm really getting tired of having to repeat this kind of thing.

Shalom
George
http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: Gregory Arago
  To: George Murphy ; Vernon Jenkins ; David Opderbeck ; Ted Davis
  Cc: PvM ; Gregory Arago ; asa@calvin.edu ; (Matthew) Yew Hock Tan
  Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 3:00 PM
  Subject: Re: [asa] Science's Blind Spot: The Unseen Religion of Scientific Naturalism

  Please excuse the brief return to this thread. I find Vernon's point quite relevant. Adding to it, if George's view is simply (and rather obviously so) that 'science based on MN works' then it is easy to write off his views as 'scientific naturalism' rather than just as a 'naturalism' which uses (a) certain method(s). Notice that George has not admitted there are many methods and not just one singular scientific method. Admitting plurality would create space for dialogue that an 'MN works' approach disallows.

  As one example, scientists, and by this on this occasion I mean 'natural scientists,' refuse to examine meaning, purpose, value and teleology. Nuf said - George said science isn't about 'first cause,' when this is not exclusively true.

  "MN must fail to satisfy the Christian in science." - Vernon

  The problem may not be that George refuses to examine things that are not exculsively 'natural,' but rather that he stretches the definition of natural to include things that should be examined independently of (pure) naturalistic thought. It may be the aftermath of a physics-trained perspective, if not physicalism (physics uber alles) which George does not subscribe to. Nonetheless, I think it would be helpful for ASA if George would distinguish physicalism from naturalism, according to his particular views of 'nature' and 'the nature of things.'

  I have repeatedly given several examples, in the names of 'cultural' and 'social', yet George simply wants to call both of these things 'natural' according to his sweeping view of naturalism. On the one had it is absurd, yet on the other it is faithfully in keeping with the ideology of MN and the apparently theologial perspective that only two things dichotomously exist: natural and supernatural. Wow - this sure makes it easy to be a natural scientist holding such an exclusivistic view!!

  I guess we just have to deal with it or try to constructively correct it.

  Arago

  George Murphy <gmurphy@raex.com> wrote:
    Sigh! 1st, you give no idea of what the supposed unexplainable phenomena are. 2d, The notion that scientists refuse to examine such phenomena is, by & large, fantasy. & 3d, saying that we can't "guarantee" that God will act in a lawlike manner is not at all the same as giving reasons to think he won't.

    3 strikes & you're out.

    & of course you fail to address my main point in the post you cite, that science based on MN works. Deal with it.

    Shalom
    George
    http://web.raex.com/~gmurphy/
      ----- Original Message -----
      From: Vernon Jenkins
      To: George Murphy ; David Opderbeck ; Ted Davis
      Cc: PvM ; Gregory Arago ; asa@calvin.edu ; (Matthew) Yew Hock Tan
      Sent: Friday, July 20, 2007 11:01 AM
      Subject: Re: [asa] Science's Blind Spot: The Unseen Religion of Scientific Naturalism

      George,
      You really are most provocative! A few days ago you wrote, in part,
      "All the history, philosophy & theology involved in this discussion is interesting, but we shouldn't lose track of one crude empirical fact: Science operating within the constraints of MN works - it has been working for ~400 years & continues to work very well in explaining known phenomena & predicting new ones. Of course that doesn't mean that what it's able to study exhausts all reality, or that we may encounter observable phenomena that such science can't finally explain. But - bracketting off for a moment claims for unique historical events like the resurrection - we don't have any reason to believe that there are any such phenomena."
      You will observe that I have highlighted the words I find particularly interesting.
      Of course, if one refuses to examine claims for the existence of 'such phenomena' - seemingly preferring to remain ignorant of facts that MN can't explain - and, manifestly, never will be able to explain - then these words, clearly, are the words of one who, apparently _at any cost_, is intent on defending a lost cause.
      George, you should know that we can never guarantee that our Creator is going to act through things in the natural world in a _lawlike manner_. That is why MN must fail to satisfy the Christian in science.
      Shalom,
      Vernon
      www.whatabeginning.com
      www.otherbiblecode.com

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Received on Fri Jul 20 17:05:04 2007