Naturalism (philosophy)

Naturalism is "the idea or belief that nothing exists beyond the natural world".^[1] It is the belief that "the natural world is the whole of reality".^[2] The term was first used this way in English in 1750.^[3]

It is a kind of philosophy called metaphysical, because it covers everything: "nature is all there is, and all basic truths are truths of nature".^[4]

All the things and powers which are commonly called supernatural, such as God, souls or witchcraft do not exist, according to this position.

1. ↑ Oxford English Dictionary Online naturalism
2. ↑ Jenkins I. 1942, in Runes D.D. The dictionary of philosophy. New York:Philosophical Library, p205.
3. ↑ Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, volume 2.
4. ↑ "Naturalism", in The Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Macmillan, 1996 Supplement, 372-373.