Is scientific materialism the only way of understanding the world?

Question

Was hoping a Psychiatrist or two may've offerred their thoughts.

- A friend of Psychiatrists. :-)

- of everyone.

Answer 1

Of course not, but I find it to be one of the more convincing portrayals of reality. Even within the simplisitic maelstrom of pure physicalism, there is great beauty and some sense of spirit... even if spirit is what materialism purports to supercede.

From a non-religious, scientific (but not science AS religion... rather science as a rational ideal) perspective, I don't see anything more concise than physicalism.

Edit- I know the misguided answers would come regardless of where it was posted, but perhaps this would be better posted in a different section.

Answer 2

Well it all depends on one's interpretation of 'scientific materialism'. :-)))

I had an ongoing debate with a good friend of mine a few years ago about the 'Creation-Evolution' thing. We came to the conclusion that neither was correct in toto. There are elements worthy of merit on both sides, yet both can easily be discredited on the basis of evidence, which in itself is not necessarily the 'Supreme Test' .... why ? Because even evidence needs to be interpreted !

We came to the conclusion that the only acceptable 'label' for our common views was 'Scientific Creationism'. Not some half-baked sets of myths and legends cobbled together by ignorant people to make sense of the incomprehensible, but a genuine effort to understand how the 'Matter' of the material world actually comes into being. Physics, for example has almost come full circle with 'science' and 'mysticism' almost re-connected.

The problem with science is that, at any one moment it is always incomplete, and leaves much unanswered to the totally enquiring mind. That is the mark of a true 'scientist', not that they know any particular thing, but rather that they are constantly questioning everything, with no pre-fixed assumptions.

If this type of 'science' is applied I am sure that we will understand much more of how our Omniverse works, but there is one factor which could confound, if not understood at the outside of one's journey of discovery, we are making all of this up as we go along, so there will never be a full and final set of 'knowledge' which can be parceled up and sold door to door like Doug's 'Encyclopedia Galactica'.

We can only 'know' as we create. ;-)))

The Great Truth is that we live and manifest in a 'world' of potentiality, thus whatever we put our minds to, we will make it so, eventually.

{{{{{{{{{{{Cosmic Science}}}}}}}}}}}}

Answer 3

Each individual has their own unique perspective of the world in which we live. And the great thing is none of them are wrong. Imagine the world as a huge ink-blot test. What you see may be completely different from what others see. Does that make it right or wrong? No. This world is up for interpretation. Some people may see the same thing as you, other may not- Science is used for many wonderful things, understanding all the inner-workings of this world... maybe on pen and paper. Sometimes I wonder if We're better off not knowing all of the scary details of the universe. (I mean, moving black holes..? AHHH!) As far as understanding something as vast and complex as the entire world? Yeah, well... good luck with that.

Answer 4

The earth, the weather, animals, the sea, the air that we breath. We can touch these without in depth analyses from scientists. To understand people, gives a great understanding of the world too, all these things are a part of the world. Materialism was invented. Possession is control. You are just passing through. The world will turn without scientists, animals and a great deal of life on earth don't need them to exist or understand why they are here. However to deny their discoveries, would be to deny a lot of what you know, knowledge we take for granted, passed down, before you were born. Delusion is a comfortable place for a lot of people, our whole world runs on it. If you cannot see that then you are more deluded than you know.

Answer 5

Absolutely not! Darwin knew he was wrong, that there is definitely intelligent design behind it all.

Of course you know where I'm going, that truly faith is the only way you'll ever really understand anything.

But ever since scientists began seeking to "understand" the world, it has only come up with more questions. The only place I have ever found answers for every question I have asked was through the Bible. And yes, sometimes the answer is patience, we'll understand it all by and by. But for anything having to do with this life, or my relationship with God, there are definite answers. Because He has promised that He has given us ALL things that pertain to our life and godliness (relationship with God). Feel free to contact me and I'll show you how to find them for yourself, if you really want to know.

Something like dinosaurs. If you look at Gen 1:1 ("In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.") and see Gen 1:2 ("and the earth was without form and void..." as "the earth BECAME without form and void", that could be the cataclysm that caused the extinction of all the dinosaurs. Right there between two verses. Because it doesn't pertain to OUR life. I wouldn't say it was a sure thing, because I don't believe ANY thing unless I can substantiate it in the Bible. But the "became" in verse two has been verified in several sources, as there was no verb "to be" in the Hebrew text. So it had to be something else first.

But is that something you really need to know to understand the world and your place in it? Or is it just a curiousity, like spacemen, or witchcraft? If you want to understand your place in the world, and God's plan for it all, that is one thing. But if you want to understand every curiousity of man in a "scientific" way, good luck. Luck too, is something I don't believe in.

Answer 6

No, but if you have a smattering of most of the sciences, the world is no longer a magical place, and superstition and other unreasonable beliefs, like fear of the dark, curses, ghosts, voodoo, astrology, werewolves, zombies and vampires are much less likely to have any real hold over you. Be a humanist, if you become a scientist, even if you abandon all religious beliefs. Otherwise, people end up as vivisectionists, or even experiment on humans.

Answer 7

Materialism is the way to study the material world absolutely. Thats the definition of materialism.

Yet in all crafts like Science, there is also scope to learn a little about yourself also. You may win or lose in any endevour undertaken in life. But when all the wins and loss's are behind you in life and are only memories, it is what you know about yourself which follows you on, not what you know about the material world/nature.

Answer 8

Whilst science can tell you how and why things happen, even then they can't always do that and sometimes they don't even get it right. The only true way of understanding the world is through a first person perspective. Go out and experience things for yourself, it's far more exciting as well. For example hearing about erosion or the natural evolution of predators is nothing compared to going to the grand canyon and actually seeing, hearing and feeling the experience or going on safari and witnessing it.

Anyway, understanding the world is fundamentally a way of understanding ourselves and how we fit in to the grand scheme of things, by going out into the world and experiencing new things we learn more about ourselves and it helps us grow into more rounded individuals.

Answer 9

How about "scientific curiosity" instead? Science is not about collecting material things. It's about trying to investigate and understand the world, by developing a hypothesis and testing it against the real world. If the evidence doesn't support the hypothesis, then you change the hypothesis, not the evidence.

Answer 10

The life-force can't be found or studied apart from a living body. Where is it? In the head; in the heart: in the seed; where?
I don't think anyone knows. The spiritual makes science immaterial.
C. :)!!