What is Methodological Naturalism?
MN has been defined in several ways, but for purposes of this article, I am adopting what is the most common understanding of it among scientists and philosophers. Simply stated, MN is the philosophy that in science, we should act as if there is no supernatural. MN not only restricts science to investigating the natural cosmos and explaining its order; it restricts science from even contemplating the possibility of the supernatural. Sometimes, MN is confused with the scientific method, the process by which science is conducted, but it is not the same thing. The scientific method is the process by which science is conducted, but MN is a philosophy intended to place limitations upon that process. MN is often confused with Ontological Naturalism (ON), also often called Metaphysical Naturalism. ON is also a common philosophy behind the motivations of a significant percentage of scientists. It is the belief that there is no supernatural, but MN is the philosophy that in science we should ac
Related Questions
- Do you see evidence that scientists, practicing scientists today see a commitment to methodological naturalism as integral to their actual scientific work?
- Is methodological naturalism another way of stating a philosophical claim? Is methodological naturalism another method of stating a philosophical claim?
- Is methodological naturalism required by The Rules?
