Methodologically Dogmatic

2009.11.07   prev     next

Philosophical naturalism is the idea that our universe is a closed system of causes and effects, and that the only legitimate explanations for any observation are purely naturalistic ones. Full stop. No exceptions, and no possibility of future exceptions. If you’re scientific, and you haven’t found a naturalistic explanation for X, then keep searching until you do. And there isn’t any such thing as a reason to think that X may not have a naturalistic explanation. It has one. Period.

Now suppose that I know all about philosophical naturalism, but I’ve never heard of “methodological naturalism.” And my professor says, “You know, scientists don’t necessarily have to be philosophical naturalists — but they employ methodological naturalism in their scientific work.”

And of course, I ask, “What is methodological naturalism?”

“Guess!” he demands.

“OK,” I say, “let’s see. I can reasonably guess that it’s similar to philosophical naturalism, but not as absolute, in some way having to do with the way scientists try to come up with explanations for phenomena. So it must be something like this: A scientist prefers naturalistic explanations whenever possible, but does not absolutely rule out supernatural explanations when there is some good reason to think that a naturalistic explanation won’t work in a specific case.”

“Good guess!” my professor says, “but wrong!”

“OK, I give up. What is it?”

“Methodological naturalism is — drumroll please — the requirement that scientists operate on the assumption of philosophical naturalism when working with the scientific method.”

“Umm — you mean until and unless they find an exception?”

“No, until forever, and unless nothing.”

“So.. how is that different from philosophical naturalism?” I wonder out loud.

“Well, it’s spelled differently. Ha-ha. No, seriously this time: Scientists are allowed to deviate from philosophical naturalism when they’re not practicing science, but not when they are practicing science.”

“Ahh. That make sense. And how much am I paying you in tuition, again?”

“Not enough! We’re raising it soon.”

“Great.”