Tapsearch Com EditorNaturalism takes a detour around God
September 1st 2009 17:03
By Ray Tapajna based on notes from Father McQuade SJ JCU, Modern Heresy course -
Naturalism plays a big part in our Bewildered New World - and also relates to Pope Benedict's new economic encyclical- Charity in truth ( Caritas in Veritate ) -click above for review of the encyclical
Why?
Once you deny any form of supernatural life and not need God to account for nature, or to have nature attain its very best in life, you are in the Bewildered New World. If truth is put in a test tube based on feelings and emotions, the pursuit is and endless action. ( At our Ethics Box Com site at we explored personality and character and all its real nature- starting with the intellect and will . )
Prehistoric is prehistoric
Chesterson said, we cannot know much about prehistoric man because he is prehistoric and outside the realm of history. If there is a base for naturalism in a prehistoric place, we will never find it. History itself gives us a long account of the imperfections of of man who tends to rack and ruin.
It is difficult to dig out a philosophy from naturalism although naturalism claims to be a philosophy of life. However, this seems to be a branding rather than a reality since philosophy is the study of being as being with the mind pursuing the ultimate causes of things. If you deny the self-evident principle of the aptitude of the mind for truth , then you must live in a bewildered world. The greatest error of Naturalism is the substituting emotions for reason and substituting the animal in man for the rational nature of man.
Rational Psychology reveals man as a rather wonderful being. It speaks of his vegetable powers of nutrition, growth, repair and reproduction. It includes the animal in man with faculties for sensation, appetition, locomotion but it crowns it all with the marvelous power of the rationale composed of the intellect and free will. It shows how these powers are used to do good and avoid evil.
However, men on their own, simply do not act up to the level that philosophy assigns them. Apparently, there is a need for a higher power to show them the way. The primal sin of Naturalism is its failure to recognize this.
Whatever else men believe, they have all believed that there is something the matter with mankind. Man can define what perfect love is but knows they will never attain it in this life.
This lack shows there is a sense of sin and it is absurd to think you can be natural and have no laws. As a philosophy, Naturalism simply refuses to accept the evidence fo history. All evidence proves the whole human race has a tradition of the Fall.
Rousseau said man should not seek out the author of evil. He said there is no evil other than the evil that comes from yourself. He says take away all your faults and vices and the handiworkd of man and all is well. However he provides no explanation for the root source of out "fatal progress" . We all know that feelings can be both wonderful but can take us to places we really do not want to go. ( Continued in next post )
Naturalism plays a big part in our Bewildered New World - and also relates to Pope Benedict's new economic encyclical- Charity in truth ( Caritas in Veritate ) -click above for review of the encyclical
Why?
Once you deny any form of supernatural life and not need God to account for nature, or to have nature attain its very best in life, you are in the Bewildered New World. If truth is put in a test tube based on feelings and emotions, the pursuit is and endless action. ( At our Ethics Box Com site at we explored personality and character and all its real nature- starting with the intellect and will . )
Prehistoric is prehistoric
Chesterson said, we cannot know much about prehistoric man because he is prehistoric and outside the realm of history. If there is a base for naturalism in a prehistoric place, we will never find it. History itself gives us a long account of the imperfections of of man who tends to rack and ruin.
It is difficult to dig out a philosophy from naturalism although naturalism claims to be a philosophy of life. However, this seems to be a branding rather than a reality since philosophy is the study of being as being with the mind pursuing the ultimate causes of things. If you deny the self-evident principle of the aptitude of the mind for truth , then you must live in a bewildered world. The greatest error of Naturalism is the substituting emotions for reason and substituting the animal in man for the rational nature of man.
Rational Psychology reveals man as a rather wonderful being. It speaks of his vegetable powers of nutrition, growth, repair and reproduction. It includes the animal in man with faculties for sensation, appetition, locomotion but it crowns it all with the marvelous power of the rationale composed of the intellect and free will. It shows how these powers are used to do good and avoid evil.
However, men on their own, simply do not act up to the level that philosophy assigns them. Apparently, there is a need for a higher power to show them the way. The primal sin of Naturalism is its failure to recognize this.
Whatever else men believe, they have all believed that there is something the matter with mankind. Man can define what perfect love is but knows they will never attain it in this life.
This lack shows there is a sense of sin and it is absurd to think you can be natural and have no laws. As a philosophy, Naturalism simply refuses to accept the evidence fo history. All evidence proves the whole human race has a tradition of the Fall.
Rousseau said man should not seek out the author of evil. He said there is no evil other than the evil that comes from yourself. He says take away all your faults and vices and the handiworkd of man and all is well. However he provides no explanation for the root source of out "fatal progress" . We all know that feelings can be both wonderful but can take us to places we really do not want to go. ( Continued in next post )
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