Matthias Redd has proposed some intriguing hypotheses regarding objective/subjective knowledge and supernatural claims. My main objection to the entire foundation which you hypotheses are grounded the assumption of being, in essence, supernatural. The issue lies in the semantic use of the term supernatural and its definition. Supernatural refers to phenomena that fit one of the following definitions: 1.) Supernatural events as beyond nature- The problem with this definition is that none of the phenomena commonly described as supernatural fit the definition. Pagan gods were commonly described as having corporeal form, and even interbreeding with humans. The monotheistic God is described as being perceivable through His interactions with the physical world. Virgin birth does not fit the definition, because it is a physical event. Thus no events commonly described as supernatural are beyond nature, and this definition yields a null set 2.) Supernatural events as violating laws of nature- The problem with this definition is that it assumes we comprehensively know the laws of nature in order to identify violations. Thus an islander who has never seen an aircraft or a walky-talky would describe them as supernatural because they violate the laws of nature as he understands them -- despite the fact that they are consistent with the laws of nature as they really are. Since we do not comprehensively understand the laws of nature, we cannot meaningfully determine which events truly violate the laws of nature. Something that we find completely and utterly inexplicable could still quite possibly be within the laws of nature, and its not possible for us to definitively determine whether it is or not. Thus, the word supernatural carries no meaning. The key question with supernatural events, therefore, is not whether they are supernatural, but rather whether they occur or exist at all. If they occur, they are not supernatural, but rather unexplained. If they do not occur, they are not supernatural, but rather fictional.
Posted on: Sun, 30 Mar 2014 04:29:10 +0000
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