Evolutionists ... have a prior commitment, a commitment to…
“Evolutionists ... have a prior commitment, a commitment to naturalism. It is not that the methods and institutions of science somehow compel us to accept a material explanation of the phenomenal world, but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a priori adherence to material causes to create an apparatus of investigation and a set of concepts that produce material explanations, no matter how counter-intuitive, no matter how mystifying to the uninitiated. Moreover, that materialism is absolute, for we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Evolutionists are bound by materialism, shaping scientific methods and concepts to favor material explanations, excluding divine influence.
In simple terms: Science is guided by material assumptions.
Key Takeaway
Question the assumptions underlying scientific frameworks.
Themes
science
materialism
philosophy
methodology
Mood
skeptical
inquisitive
Type
philosophical
critical
When to use this quote
- research design
- education
- public communication
- policy
- philosophical debate
Key Concepts
naturalism
epistemology
bias
Questions to Reflect On
- What are the consequences of a strictly materialist approach?
- Can science incorporate non-material explanations responsibly?
A Different Perspective
It can limit openness to alternative metaphysical perspectives.