Philosophical musings on Quanta & Qualia;  Materialism & Spiritualism; Science & Religion; Pragmatism & Idealism, etc.

Beyond the physical world is a realm of nonphysical power. But in reality that enforming energy is limited by the strict parameters of natural law.

Post 8. 12/27/2017 continued . . . .

True Reality : Both Real & Ideal

  Physical & Metaphysical

Individual shamans & sorcerers of "primitive" religions may have claimed to possess occult knowledge & power over natural forces. But modern science has constructed a more pragmatic & public model of physical reality, that permits us to guide natural phenomena toward human goals, using math instead of mumbo-jumbo. So, since the Enlightenment era, most "civilized" religions have turned away from magically manipulating Reality, and have focused more on metaphysical ideality1, the opinions & concepts that guide people's personal & social behavior. As one of the first modern scientists, Gallileo argued that, "The bible teaches us how to go to heaven, not how the heavens go". Centuries later, paleontologist Steven J. Gould, reasoned that science & religion should not be in conflict, because they concentrate on different areas of inquiry, Facts vs. Values *, hence they rule different spheres of authority; "non-overlapping magisteria" (NOMA) as he poetically put it.

Unfortunately, some fanatical religious sects insist that there is only one supreme authority over all truth, which is reasonable. But they also assert -- by faith, not reason -- that his divine science has been revealed to a select cabal of devout-but-fallible human prophets. Due to their strict interpretation of Monotheism, these uncompromising communions hold their supernaturally inspired scriptures to be inerrant regarding both physical & moral doctrines. Likewise, some cocky hard-line scientists maintain that, despite the frailties of knowledgeable-but-fallible human practitioners, the empirical scientific method is the only means of obtaining reliable information about the real world. Consequently, they tend to be dismissive of any alternative approaches to knowledge, such as visions, intuition or even philosophical reasoning from first principles3. In our search for viable truths, we are unlikely to find a perfect solution to these warring ideologies. So instead of mutually-assured-destruction, I prefer Gould's NOMA principle, as a Goldilocks trade-off between too hot dogma and too cold doctrine. People of good will, whether leaning toward Science or toward Religion, should "doubt a little of their own infallibility" as Ben Franklin pled with the dead-locked constitutional congress.

Post 8 continued  . . . click Next

* see Philosophy is . . . popup above

 Magisterium :
“teaching-authority” (an “area of expertise” or a “discipline or subject-matter”).

Note 1 :
This blog uses the term “Metaphysics” in the formal sense of philosophy, not in the romantic or poetic sense of New Age religion.
The literal meaning is “beyond physics”, yet it’s not necessarily other-worldly, but merely the post-big-bang, pre-physical aspects of the world created from mathematical values and logical rules – meaning & laws.
See glossary

Note 2  :
For some people, such as New Agers, metaphysics means that anything goes. If you can imagine it, it’s real. But reality doesn’t work that way. You may believe you can fly, but if you jump off a tall building, physical gravity will refute your faith.

Note 3 :
I too am suspicious of unverifiable psychic visions, pseudo-sciences, and self-justifying rationales. But I am aware of my own personal ignorance and limitations. So the strongly-held opinions of others cannot be dismissed out-of-hand. It’s tedious to sort through the plethora of myths, legends, tall tales, & conspiracy theories. But there may be a kernel of truth in the piles of d*gsh*t. So just remember the old saying : “opinions are like a**holes, everybody has one, and they all stink”. Sometimes my own opinions don’t pass the sniff test.