Thursday, December 13, 2012
POST#14-NATURALISM
In general, philosophy concerns itself with reason and the giving of reasons for one’s positions and beliefs. To philosophers, the person with the best arguments wins the contest of ideas. This means that even an argument that is very technical and contains little or no rhetorical devices, is very exciting because arguments are at the center of action. Also, in a broadly democratic culture, engaging in reasoned debate rather than violence to persuade others to adopt a policy or course of action is essential. So it is important to be familiar with the reasons and arguments both for and against naturalism. List and explain some of the reasons for and against NATURALISM.
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A reason to be for Naturalism is that Naturalism is the general understanding of reality and humanity's place within reality.
ReplyDeleteIt helps create a solid ground for though.
Naturalism emphasizes the progressive and expanding knowledge that observation and science provides.
Naturalism is also bad because it only relies on the 5 senses.
It limits your ability to think outside of your seeming reality.
Naturalism is the view and acceptance that takes into accounts only the natural elements and forces using the five physical senses which include: taste, touch, smell, sight and hearing.
ReplyDeleteThe pros of naturalism include the reassurance of a physical object. It relies on experience, reason, and science working together to establish a conclusion on a matter. They believe in nature because it is inevitable that it truly does exist.
The cons of naturalism is it allows the naturalist to be single minded to higher supreme forces other can the one provided by nature. Since they are unable to experience the afterlife or observe the supernatural, they disproof their existence. They more than likely would be atheistic in terms of religion, which can be dangerous because religion is the foundation for mortality. Mortality creatures values which in turn affects ones actions and behavior.
The pros of naturalism include an empirical standpoint. Your beliefs are reinforced with your five senses. It allows you to use the logic of life and nature for your evidence. It gives you a strong understanding that there is something there.
ReplyDeleteThe cons of naturalism is also its empirical standpoint. Its greatest strength is also it's greatest weakness. Relying solely on your five senses can limit their reality to other things beyond the five senses. They would be oblivious to "superior invisible being" or anything beyond the regular 5 senses.
Reasoning that would defend Naturalism:
ReplyDeleteLiving life to its fullest, having an extreme amount of pleasure.
Your beliefs are reinforced with only yourfive senses.
It allows you to use the logic of life and nature for evidence.
Reasoning that would be against Naturalism:
Ultimitely achieving pure naturalism, or Hedonism.
Relying solely onyour five senses can sometimes handicap you or limit you.
You also can not observe anything of the supernatural, or the "super invisible being", or God.
Some reasons to be for naturalism are that if something can be identified by the five senses , it can't be denied because its physically there and naturalism can keep you at in an emperical state of mind which will allow you not to doubt so many obvious things.
ReplyDeleteA reason to be against naturalism is the danger of becoming hedonist, or believing that pleasure if the only intrinsic good. Which would make you very selfish.
Naturalism is the belief that whatever cannot be perceived by the five physical senses is not real- or does not really exist. Thus, one can say that those who believe in naturalism do not believe in anything they cannot smell,taste, see,hear or touch.
ReplyDeleteThe pros of naturalism are that it provides a general understanding of reality and ones place within reality based on the evidence of a physical object. Through observation, science, reason and experience they are able to come to a conclusion about reality. Nationalism helps create a solid ground for thought and brings about high inoffensive pleasure.
The cons of naturalism is that by a naturalist simply relying on their five senses it limits them from reality and the ability to think beyond their reality that they have perceived only from their senses. It would lead for them to not believe in God, the afterlife and/or the ancient glorification of the sun.
Indeed, it is very important to be aware of the pros and cons of naturalism. Naturalism is the foundational philosophical belief that only what is perceived by the five basic senses are real.
ReplyDeleteThe pros of naturalism are a couple. One pro is that naturalism allows you to make conclusions based on observation and mostly fact. In certain situations, empirical senses is all you can rely on and in doing so, you can make decisions accurately by what you perceive with your senses. Most likely, what is within your physical realm is often more helpful to evaluate than what you can't see in a physical world. Also, empiricism provides a backbone for many beliefs. I can belief so and so on because I can't/can see, hear, taste, touch, and smell so and so. Since something can be proved or cannot be proved by five senses that almost all humans have, you have a strong backing of your beliefs. Third, this may lead to a form of confidence in your beliefs to which maybe a good thing. When I was extremely empirical as a child, I had confidence in my beliefs because they could almost always be proven since almost every human has the five basic senses. Lastly, naturalism can lead to being realistic and pragmatic. Sometimes what you perceive with your senses is more effective in guiding your actions than what you can't actually see. These things will often help you in situations or jobs in which you have to be realistic with what you have within your physical means. For example, when you are building a bridge, you will most likely use materials that are physical and not just the idea of it to make it to a reality.
The cons of naturalism, if taken to the extreme, are numerous and severe. One con of naturalism is that it can cause you to be a complete hedonist. The hedonist lives for high or inoffensive pleasure. They could always be eating, drinking,and being merry which is a sign that naturalism is being taken to the extreme. Also hedonism leads to over indulgences of your pleasures, so therefore you are never satisfied. This feeling of non-satisfaction leads to stagnation and serious boredom. Another disadvantage of naturalism is that by adopting it, you may become extremely narrow-minded. You may become stubborn and believe what you want and brings you pleasure is good. What you want that doesn't bring pleasure is bad. With this narrow mindset, you may throw or break relationships with very important people in your life. Sometimes the most important people in your life will do things that won't necessarily bring pleasure but only bring irritation and discomfort. Third, naturalism also bring selfishness with it. Part of naturalism is believing in your senses. Notice the "your" which signifies a self concept and is putting utter reliance on yourself to get most things done. Sometimes you, yourself is not a good source of guidance and morality.
The pros of naturalism is that it is mostly based upon experience and in that being said you can never be wrong if you have experienced it yourself. If your beliefs have to do with the 5 senses then your also very in touch with nature which is a great thing.
ReplyDeleteThe cons of being a naturalism that you may become a atheist, hedonist, or just base your life in only pleasuring yourself and not anyone else.
A true naturalist believes that whatever cannot be perceived by the five senses, taste,touch,smell,hear,see is not real. This would lead them to rely on the sole reality of everything because whatever they cannot see,smell,touch,taste,or hear is not real. They rely on expereince, observation, and reason to conclude their reality. The cons of being a naturalist would be the dangers of headonism, which would be find pleasure for oneself. One could become selfish and in the end cause harm to others. Another con of naturalism would be the closed-minded individual that the naturalist would be since their only beliefs rely upon their five senses. Being too closed-minded could lead into immoral circumstances and more. As for the pros of being a naturalist would be that theres no doubt of reality since there is evidence to prove it. It will lead to an emperical mind/thinking, thus thoughts and beliefs cannot be rejected since it exist in reality. In fact, being an extreme naturalist will consist most of the cons which is why its agreeable that a naturalist itself, does involve pros.
ReplyDeleteWhen people say they're Realists, they don't realize that their implications are actually Naturalistic. Since they look at the tangible facts--rely solely on empiricism--it may lead to the belief that there is no God and they may be prone to over-indulgence of things that make them feel good; eat, drink, be merry is their motto. This form of practice is known as hedonism and is the main pitfall of an extreme Naturalist.
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, Naturalism is acceptable as you "go with what you know", understand what you can perceive, and use reasoning based upon your empirical observations to form conclusions. In the end, however, it is important to have and maintain BALANCE.
Naturalism Pros: It is very empirical and bases its knowledge on known and true information. Naturalists cannot be easily persuaded, as they need physical evidence. This also makes them content with what life has to offer, so they would be able take full and proper advantage of everything.
ReplyDeleteNaturalism Cons: Because it is so empirical, pure naturalists will not accept ideas that cannot be experienced. If they have not seen it or have not experienced it, they believe the idea is wrong or untrue. Which makes them susceptible to "close mindedness". They may also live for pure pleasure, or hedonism. This can be very harmful due to over-indulgence of anything; be it food or fun and can be very chaotic.
I believe naturalism serves one bad purpose, and one good purpose. The one good purpose being the following; it is the foundation to every other philosophy. It is the basics of experience through the five senses, and of course this is true. Most people rely on their five senses for every day life. But the bad part about naturalism is that it isn't open minded, but luckily that is where the structure (every other philosophy) is laid down upon the foundation which is naturalism.
ReplyDeleteNaturalism:
ReplyDeletePros: I feel the most obvious pros to naturalism is that it is about the now. It focuses on what is most important desirable and of interest. Because it focuses on what is now you can bet there is a lot of progress. More specifically in technology.
Cons: There are dangers you must look out for in being a naturalist. If you only concern yourself with what you observe with your five senses that can lead you to only desire pleasure. And from there you can turn into a hedonist. The problem with being a hedonist is to much of anything is bad for you. And your only doing what brings you pleasure than you are affecting yourself and the people around you in a negative way.
There is only one advantage and one disadvantage to naturalism.
ReplyDeletePRO: You get to experience reality for what is really is, five senses. At the end of the day, you can't be persuaded by things very easily as the only proof you'd consider is the empirically based ones.
CONS: they are close-minded as they are only willing to except truths that they can see for themselves.