The Narrow Path Ministries

In my study, I've learned that there is a difference between methodological naturalism and philosophical.

Methodological being that in order to conduct scientific inquiry, you need to assume naturalistic causes.

But philosophical is the assumption that the universe has only naturalistic causes.

Atheists, and skeptics seem to make that distinction fuzzy, accusing people who believe that God interacts with the world (or even that there is a god) as being irrational and unscientific. Even though philosophical naturalism is itself just that: a philosophy. Not science.

So...

What do we can the theistic alternative.

Philosophical Super-naturalism? That seems to point too much towards everything being supernatural. Rather than there being the possibility that God does interact with the world.

I think the opposite may be both theism and deism.

1. "Philosophical [naturalism] is the assumption that the universe has only naturalistic causes. "
2. Deism is the assumption that a God exists who created the universe, but who thereafter did not interact with it, having given it the ability to continue on its own.
3. Theism is the assumption that a God exists who created the universe, and who continued to interact with it thereafter.

So, philosophical theism?

I think the opposite of philosophical naturalism is called open-mindedness.

Greetings! (me: frequent reader, seldom poster, these days)

Imo & technically-speaking: Theism would be one opposing view over against philosophical naturalism. Another opposing view would be: Monism, with an impersonal "god" or "It" or, by whatever name, depending on which form of Monism we'd be speaking of (Hinduism, Buddhism, etc.).

I hear William Lane Craig use the phrase "Christian Theism" often, which is one of at least three theisms (+ Judaism, Islam).

Btw, morbo, I saw you recommend James Sire's book "The Universe Next Door" on another thread. Excellent book! I read it back in the early 80s & actually got to "talk" with James when he did a "Converse With Theologians" stint on PalTalk Messenger. I told him it was one of my favorite & most influential books ever, outside of the Bible. He said no one had ever said that. (I've always been into "worldviews" a lot).

Take Care, Folks!

P.S. I saw one of Ravi Zacharias's associates speaking to: worldviews on a U2B vid. He (forgot the guy's name) said there are three basic (or essential) worldviews. In terms of material reality and spiritual reality, there are:

Monism
"All is God" -- everything in the universe, including people
Theism
"Both" -- the material is real, the spiritual is real
Atheism
"All is material" -- everything in the universe, including people

Thought I'd post this -- before I forget it!

Interesting question! (I wish I had something else worth adding.)

Monism
"All is God" -- everything in the universe, including people

I have never before heard of this position being called "monism". Normally it is called "pantheism".

I have heard the term "monism" used to denote the belief that people are single entities rather than bipartate beings composed of "body" and "soul" or tripartate beings composed of "body", "soul", and "spirit".

RickC is correct in his use of Monism. The worldview of Eastern religions is called Monism—asserting that "all is one." Pantheism is similar, and probably is used largely as synonymous with it.

Steve's post is correct, LOL, Hi Steve!

Hello Paidion! You wrote:I have heard the term "monism" used to denote the belief that people are single entities rather than bipartate beings composed of "body" and "soul" or tripartate beings composed of "body", "soul", and "spirit".

You are correct also. Actually, "monism" (as used in your above sense) was new to me when I first heard it on one of Steve's forums (old or new).

Back in the 70s, when I first studied all this stuff, the usual term was "holistic" (or "wholistic"). I seldom hear it these days.

Take Care Folks!