What is the definition of the word "Supernatural"?

Question

Ive heard the word and seen the textbook answer, but what does it REALLY mean?

Answer 1

Wouldn't it mean something more than the Natural world has to offer. Beyond Nature. Super Nature. It is tied to things like ghosts, ESP, telekenisis..etc because all those things are still grounded to us or through us. Ghosts are supposed to be the remnants of human beings...ESP and such are supposed to be extentions of the mind that we already use. Everyone may have these abilities, but only a few can use them. If everyone could use them then wouldn't they just be Natural abilities?

Answer 2

In the ultimate meaning, I think it must mean something that is beyond the universe and not caused by it or affected by it in any way.

We have all seen examples of things that were once thought to be Supernatural, which have been discovered to be natural. Lightning and thunder are two common examples.

However, when we start to think ot something like hyperspace, which will be necessary if we wish to travel faster than the speed of light, that may turn out to be 'Supernatural'. It will involve physics which do not exist here and cannot work here. It will involve travel through a place which cannot be reached by translation in any of the spatial dimensions to a point in space which cannot be reached by matter or energy in the time elapsed.

Thus, hyperspace, in the sense in which we most often use the phrase, and hope to use it materially someday, is 'Supernatural'.

The philosopher Francis Schaeffer was trying to come up with a definition of 'nothing' to use, for when discussing the origin of everything, people often claimed to be starting out with nothing, but then slipped in something, such as matter, or energy, or time, or space, or another dimension.

Schaeffer's definition of NOTHING-nothing was:

Take a blackboard on which nothing has ever been written.

Take a piece of chalk which has never before been used.

Draw a circle on the board with the chalk.

That which is inside the circle represents EVERYTHING.

Now erase the circle.

Now throw away the blackboard.

That, is NOTHING-nothing.

The question is, how can Anything arise from NOTHING-nothing?

Or, Why is there Anything, instead of NOTHING-nothing...?

The only possibility that I can see is that there was originally Something which has always existed, from which all else sprung into being. If this Something was non-self-aware and of no moral significance, then WE are not self-aware and have no moral significance.

This also is Supernatural. 'Supernatural' is not a synonym for 'meaningless'. It is the antidote to meaninglessness.

Answer 3

The word supernatural is used for things that some people believe are real, but that are not part of nature. Because we cannot prove whether these things are real, people often disagree about these things.

Scientists say that we should talk about things without talking about the supernatural, because we cannot prove that supernatural things are real. Other people say that although we cannot prove supernatural things in a scientific way, they are real. Many ideas like religion, magic, miracles, spirits, ghosts, angels, devils, gods, and God are supernatural.

Answer 4

It means beyond the natural or the obvious, beyond the 5 senses. We excist in a supernatural excistance. Think of it, we are a ball floating in space. In our atmosphere we have the law of gravity that keeps everything from floating away. The sky is everywhere, there is no where that the sky is not. To me this is a physical reflect of God who is everywhere at the same time and that is beyond what are 5 senses can perceive.

Answer 5

The definition of the word "supernatural"....existing outside man's normal experiences or the known laws of nature....or involving GOD!..........Now, it should be plain to see why atheists & non-believing GOD Haters can not tap into Spiritual Things Pertaining to GOD!

Answer 6

Babylon says:
• supernatural
adj. not conforming to known natural forces or laws, beyond what is natural or normal; magical, mystical; of or pertaining to God
n. something supernatural, phenomena which does not conform to known natural forces or laws (such as ghosts)

But the fullll info about it is here in the WIKIPEDIA: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supernatural

Answer 7

Outside the bounds of the natural world.
IMHO, you could tag 'probably nonexistant' to that definition.

Answer 8

Hi check this website out

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/supernatural

hope this helps

American Born Indian

Answer 9

Beyond what can be explained in natural terms.

Answer 10

Not of this world