Naturalism vs. Theology

Papers and reviews exploring the fundamental differences between naturalistic and theological approaches to knowledge and the corresponding worldviews. 

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  • All In, External Resource

    Paul Louis Metzger on Nietzschean atheism, from his book Connecting Christ, with invited commentary by Tom Clark; end notes for this chapter are here.

  • Tennis Without a Net: The Emptiness of the Supernatural Hypothesis, Book Review

    Supernatural beliefs about mind, morality and the self are losing plausibility as naturalistic explanations gain traction. In response, supernaturalists argue that gaps in these explanations are evidence for the failure of naturalism. But the success of science and the potential for ongoing research and conceptual development to close such gaps suggest otherwise. Moreover, since supernatural explanations bypass the evidential and methodological constraints governing secular scientific inquiry, they end up facile, unsupported and empty.

  • Exchange on Goetz and Taliaferro's Naturalism, Book Review

    A dialogue on Goetz and Taliaferro's "Naturalism".

  • Reality and Its Rivals: Putting Epistemology First, Article
    We are commonsense empiricists, wanting to operate under the guidance of an adequate model of reality so that our projects come to fruition.
  • No Competition for Naturalism: The Poverty of Supernatural Explanations, Book Review

    A rebuttal to Goetz and Taliaferro's Naturalism. If you think a worldview should reflect the way the world objectively is, not your hopes or fears, then science-based naturalism is the obvious choice.

  • Projecting God: The Psychology of Theological Justification, Book Review

    Theologian John F. Haught argues that science isn't our best and most reliable means of knowing ultimate reality; rather, there are other means involving subjective experience which put us directly in touch with God. But why should we trust such experience? Haught's says this trust is justified because God exists, but this presumes what needs to be proved. His brand of theological cognition violates some basic epistemic norms that should constrain any description of the world which aims for objectivity. His concept of God seems vague, contradictory, and is clearly driven by human psychological needs.

  • Supernaturalism and Explanation, Book Review

    Theologian John Haught attempts to show the naturalist that nature is indeed not enough.

  • Religion as a Natural Phenomenon, Talk

    Talk and Q & A with Daniel Dennett at the Harvard Science Center.

  • Why Science Can't Get Us to God, Article
    An open letter to proponents of intelligent design.