(May 31, 2020 at 9:59 pm)polymath257 Wrote: And, yes, we can apply the scientific method, even if the phenomenon involved would be considered 'supernatural' by some people at the time. No assumption of 'materialism' or 'methodological naturalism' is required: just study the phenomena that happen and see what patterns you can find and test (by any means).
This is from Tufts University:
Quote:Methodological naturalism is not a "doctrine" but an essential aspect of the methodology of science, the study of the natural universe. If one believes that natural laws and theories based on them will not suffice to solve the problems attacked by scientists - that supernatural and thus nonscientific principles must be invoked from time to time - then one cannot have the confidence in scientific methodology that is prerequisite to doing science. The spectacular successes over four centuries of science based on methodological naturalism cannot be gainsaid. On the other hand, a scientist who, when stumped, invokes a supernatural cause for a phenomenon he or she is investigating is guaranteed that no scientific understanding of the problem will ensue.
This describes what you are doing. It means that when we observe something and can't explain it, we aren't allowed to say it's supernatural. We have to declare it's natural, even if we never explain it.