Naturalism (philosophy)

High school (ages 12+)
Philosophy & Big Questions

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Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/naturalism-philosophy

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the epistemological foundation?Knowledge is primarily derived from empirical observation, scientific methodology, and rational inference
2. What is the metaphysical framework?Reality is physical and material, governed by discoverable, consistent natural laws
3. What is naturalism in philosophy?Naturalism says that everything that exists is part of nature and can be studied with science and reason. It says there are no supernatural beings or forces.
4. How does naturalism explain things that people think are supernatural?Naturalism says that events usually thought to be caused by gods or spirits can instead be explained by natural causes and laws. Scientists look for these natural explanations even when they are not fully understood.

Ontological Naturalism: The philosophical view that only natural entities and forces exist in reality.
Methodological Naturalism: The practice in science of seeking only natural explanations for phenomena.
Emergence: The arising of novel and complex properties in systems not predictable from their parts.