The term supernatural or supranatural (Latin Latin or sometimes Roman is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. Although often considered a dead language, in view of the fact that it has no native, fluent speakers, Latin continues to be taught in schools and has been, and currently is, used in the process of new word production in modern languages from many: super, supra "above" + natura "nature") pertains to being above or beyond what one holds to be natural Nature most commonly refers to the "natural environment", the Earth's environment or wilderness—including geology, forests, oceans, rivers, beaches, the atmosphere, life, and in general geographic areas that have not been substantially altered by humans, or which persist despite human intervention.[citation needed] This traditional. In the case of one who has strong scientific and atheist beliefs, the supernatural is anything unexplainable by natural law Natural law or the law of nature has been described as a law whose content is set by nature and that therefore has validity everywhere. As classically used, natural law refers to the use of reason to analyze human nature and deduce binding rules of moral behavior. The phrase natural law is opposed to the positive law (which is man-made) of a given or phenomena A phenomenon , plural phenomena, is any observable occurrence. In popular usage, a phenomenon often refers to an extraordinary event. In scientific usage, a phenomenon is any event that is observable, however commonplace it might be, even if it requires the use of instrumentation to observe it. For example, in physics, a phenomenon may be a.^[1] While one who holds mystical or heavenly beliefs may have no conception of supernatural phenomena, he or she might perceive the scientist's natural laws, on their own, as being subnatural.

In secular societies, religious miracles A miracle is an unexpected event attributed to divine intervention. Sometimes an event is also attributed to a miracle worker, saint, or religious leader. A miracle is sometimes thought of as a perceptible interruption of the laws of nature. Others suggest that God may work with the laws of nature to perform what people perceive as miracles are typically perceived as supernatural claims, as well as spells Magic, sometimes known as sorcery, is the practice of consciousness manipulation and/or autosuggestion to achieve a desired result, usually by techniques described in various conceptual systems. The practice is often influenced by ideas of religion, mysticism, occultism, science, and psychology.[citation needed] and curses A curse is any expressed wish that some form of adversity or misfortune will befall or attach to some other entity—one or more persons, a place, or an object. In particular, "curse" may refer to a wish that harm or hurt will be inflicted by any supernatural powers, such as a spell, a prayer, an imprecation, an execration, magic,, divination Divination is the attempt to gain insight into a question or situation by way of a standardized process or ritual. Diviners ascertain their interpretations of how a querent should proceed by reading signs, events, or omens, or through alleged contact with a supernatural agency. Divination can be seen as a systematic method with which to organize, the afterlife The afterlife is the idea that consciousness or the mind continues after the death of the body occurs, by natural or supernatural means. In many popular views, this continued existence often takes place in an immaterial or spiritual realm. Major views on the afterlife derive from religion, esotericism and metaphysics, and many others. Such beliefs have existed in many cultures throughout human history.

Characteristic for phenomena A phenomenon , plural phenomena, is any observable occurrence. In popular usage, a phenomenon often refers to an extraordinary event. In scientific usage, a phenomenon is any event that is observable, however commonplace it might be, even if it requires the use of instrumentation to observe it. For example, in physics, a phenomenon may be a claimed as supernatural are anomaly Anomalistics is the study of scientific anomalies. In computer science, anomaly detection refers to the process of detecting anomalies from the relevant data, uniqueness, and uncontrollability, thus lacking reproducibility Reproducibility is one of the main principles of the scientific method, and refers to the ability of a test or experiment to be accurately reproduced, or replicated, by someone else working independently required for scientific examination A comprehensive examination is a specific type of exam taken by graduate students, which may determine their eligibility to continue their studies. Supernatural themes are often associated with paranormal Paranormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena that are understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure. Paranormal phenomena are distinct from certain hypothetical entities, such as dark matter and occult The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g. an "occult bleed" may be one detected indirectly by the presence of otherwise unexplained anaemia ideas, suggesting for possibility of interaction with the supernatural by means of summoning Conjuration in traditional and most contemporary usage refers to a magical act of invoking spirits or using incantations or charms to cast magical spells. In the context of legerdemain, it may also refer to the performance of illusion or magic tricks for show. This article discusses mainly the original and primary usage, describing acts of a or trance The term "trance" may be associated with meditation, magic, flow, and prayer. It may also be related to the earlier generic term, altered states of consciousness, which is no longer used in "Consciousness Studies" discourse, for instance.

Controversy

Adherents of supernatural beliefs hold that such occurrences exist just as surely as does the natural world. Opponents argue that there are natural, scientific Science is a systematic enterprise of gathering knowledge about nature and organizing and condensing that knowledge into testable laws and theories. As knowledge has increased, some methods have proved more reliable than others, and today the scientific method is the standard for science. It includes the use of careful observation, experimentation, explanations for what is often perceived as the supernatural.

Controversy has surrounded the issue for as long as there have been those who believe in the supernatural. One complicating factor is that there is no universal agreement about what the definition of “natural” is, and what the limits of naturalism In practice, metaphysical naturalism reduces to the more specific ontological view of “scientific” naturalism, according to which reality consists only of what the concepts of the natural sciences investigate. "Scientific" naturalism is closely related to physicalism. It is often simply referred to as naturalism, religious naturalism might be. Concepts in the supernatural domain are closely related to concepts in religious Religion (from O.Fr. religion "religious community," from L. religionem "respect for what is sacred, reverence for the gods," "obligation, the bond between man and the gods" is the belief in and worship of a god or gods, or more in general a set of beliefs explaining the existence of and giving meaning to the universe, spirituality Spirituality can refer to an ultimate or immaterial reality; an inner path enabling a person to discover the essence of their being; or the “deepest values and meanings by which people live.” Spiritual practices, including meditation, prayer and contemplation, are intended to develop an individual's inner life; such practices often lead to an and occultism The word occult comes from the Latin word occultus , referring to "knowledge of the hidden". In the medical sense it is used to refer to a structure or process that is hidden, e.g. an "occult bleed" may be one detected indirectly by the presence of otherwise unexplained anaemia or spiritualism Spiritualism is a monotheistic belief system or religion, postulating a belief in God, but with a distinguishing feature of belief that spirits of the dead residing in the spirit world can be contacted by "mediums", who can then provide information about the afterlife. Additionally, by definition anything that exists naturally is not supernatural.

The term "supernatural" is often used interchangeably with paranormal Paranormal is a general term that designates experiences that lie outside "the range of normal experience or scientific explanation" or that indicates phenomena that are understood to be outside of science's current ability to explain or measure. Paranormal phenomena are distinct from certain hypothetical entities, such as dark matter or preternatural The preternatural or praeternatural is that which appears outside or beyond the natural. While this may include what is more commonly called the supernatural, it may also simply indicate extremity—an ordinary phenomenon taken 'beyond' the natural. One may have, for example, a preternatural desire, a preternatural curiosity, a preternaturally — the latter typically limited to an adjective for describing abilities which appear to exceed the bounds of possibility (see the nature of God in Western theology The nature of God in monotheistic religions is a broad topic in Western philosophy of religion and theology, with a very old and distinguished history; it was one of the central topics in medieval philosophy, anthropology of religion In the early 11th century, Abū Rayhān Bīrūnī , wrote detailed comparative studies on the anthropology of religions and cultures across the Middle East, Mediterranean and especially the Indian subcontinent. Biruni's anthropology of religion was only possible for a scholar deeply immersed in the lore of other nations. He carried out extensive,, and Biblical cosmology The various authors of the Hebrew Bible provide sporadic glimpses of their insight regarding astronomy and cosmology. These glimpses may be stitched together to form a Biblical impression of the physical universe).^[2] Likewise, legendary characters such as vampires Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person. Although vampiric entities have been recorded in many cultures and in spite of speculation by literary historian Brian Frost that the "belief in vampires and bloodsucking, poltergeists, and leprechauns are not considered supernatural.

Views on the supernatural

Speculative views on the "supernatural" include that it may be:

Distinct from nature

Some events occur according to natural laws A physical law or scientific law is a scientific generalization based on empirical observations of physical behavior . Laws of nature are observable. Scientific laws are empirical, describing the observable laws. Empirical laws are typically conclusions based on repeated scientific experiments and simple observations, over many years, and which, and others occur according to a separate set of principles external to nature. For example God God is the English name given to the singular omnipotent being in theistic and deistic religions who is either the sole deity in monotheism, or a single deity in polytheism (in most definitions) is considered to be the ultimate creator of the universe and the natural laws.^[3] Those who believe in angels Angels are messengers of God in the Hebrew Bible , the New Testament and the Quran. The term "angel" has also been expanded to various notions of "spiritual beings" found in many other religious traditions. Other roles of angels include protecting and guiding human beings and spirits The English word spirit has many differing meanings and connotations, all of them relating to a non-corporeal substance contrasted with the material body. The spirit of a human being is thus the animating, sensitive or vital principle in that individual, similar to the soul taken to be the seat of the mental, intellectual and emotional powers. The generally assert that they are super-natural entities. Some religious people also believe that all things which humans see as natural only act the same way consistently because God wills it so, and that natural laws are an extension of divine will.

A human coping mechanism

Others believe that all events have natural and only natural causes. They believe that human beings ascribe supernatural attributes to purely natural events (e.g., lightning Lightning is an atmospheric discharge of electricity accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms, and sometimes during volcanic eruptions or dust storms. In the atmospheric electrical discharge, a leader of a bolt of lightning can travel at speeds of 60,000 m/s , and can reach temperatures approaching 30,000 °C (54,000 °F), rainbows A rainbow is an optical and meteorological phenomenon that causes a spectrum of light to appear in the sky when the Sun shines onto droplets of moisture in the Earth's atmosphere. They take the form of a multicoloured arc, with red on the outer part of the arch and violet on the inner section of the arch, floods A flood is an overflow of an expanse of water that submerges land. The EU Floods directive defines a flood as a temporary covering by water of land not normally covered by water. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Flooding may result from the volume of water within a body of water,, the origin of life In natural science, abiogenesis or biopoesis is the study of how life on Earth could have arisen from inanimate matter. It should not be confused with evolution, which is the study of how groups of already living things change over time, or with cosmogony, which covers how the universe might have arisen. Most amino acids, often called "the).^[4][5]

Magic

Many people have sought to use both magic and science in hopes of empowering humanity for improvement and to achieve a clearer picture of humanity's place in the cosmos. In some of the earliest Christian art (from the 3rd century) Jesus Christ Jesus of Nazareth , also known as Jesus Christ or simply Jesus, is the central figure of Christianity, which views him as the Messiah foretold in the Old Testament, with most Christian denominations believing him to be the Son of God and God incarnate who was raised from the dead. Islam and the Baha'i Faith consider Jesus a prophet and also the is portrayed as a bare-faced youth holding a wand as a symbol of power^[6][7] (See: Images of Jesus The depiction of Jesus in art took several centuries to reach a conventional standardized form for his physical appearance, which has subsequently remained largely stable since that time. Most images of Jesus have in common a number of traits which are now almost universally associated with Jesus, although variants are seen).^[8] There may be a persistent link between supernaturalism, the paranormal, and the desire for immortality.^[9][10]

Another part of a larger nature

This is a view largely held by monists Monism is any philosophical view which holds that there is unity in a given field of inquiry, where this is not to be expected. Thus, some philosophers may hold that the universe is really just one thing, despite its many appearances and diversities; or theology may support the view that there is one God, with many manifestations in different and process theorists Process philosophy identifies metaphysical reality with change and dynamism. Since the time of Plato and Aristotle, philosophers have posited true reality as "timeless", based on permanent substances, whilst processes are denied or subordinated to timeless substances. If Socrates changes, becoming sick, Socrates is still the same (the. According to this view, the "supernatural" is just a term for parts of nature that modern science and philosophy do not yet properly understand, similar to how sound and lightning used to be mysterious forces to science. Materialist monists believe that the "supernatural" consists of things in the physical universe not yet understood by modern science, while idealist monists reject the concept of "supernatural" on the grounds that they believe "nature" is the non-material. Neutral monists maintain that "nature" and "supernature" are artificial categories as they believe that the material and non-material are both either equally real and simultaneously existent, or illusions that stem from the human mind's interpretation of reality.^[11]

Arguments in favor of a supernatural reality

Many supporters believe that past, present, and future complexities and mysteries of the universe The Universe is commonly defined as the totality of everything that exists, including all physical matter and energy, the planets, stars, galaxies, and the contents of intergalactic space, although this usage may differ with the context . The term Universe may be used in slightly different contextual senses, denoting such concepts as the cosmos, cannot be explained solely by naturalistic means and argue that it is reasonable to assume that a non-natural entity or entities resolve the unexplained. By its own definition, science Science is a systematic enterprise of gathering knowledge about nature and organizing and condensing that knowledge into testable laws and theories. As knowledge has increased, some methods have proved more reliable than others, and today the scientific method is the standard for science. It includes the use of careful observation, experimentation, is incapable of examining or testing for the existence In common usage, existence is the world we are aware of through our senses, and that persists independently without them. In academic philosophy the word has a more specialized meaning, being contrasted with essence, which specifies different forms of existence as well as different identity conditions for objects and properties. Philosophers of things that have no physical effects, because its methods rely on the observation of physical effects. Proponents of supernaturalism claim that their belief system is more flexible, which allows more diversity in terms of intuition and epistemology Epistemology or theory of knowledge is the branch of philosophy concerned with the nature and scope (limitations) of knowledge. It addresses the questions:.

Arguments against a supernatural reality

• Our knowledge of the world is continuously increasing. Some occurrences, once assumed supernatural, can today be explained by scientific theories.
• Some suggested supernatural phenomena vanish when they are examined closely. There have been, for example, various studies on astrology, one time most of them with negative results^{[12][13][14][15][16]} (a single positive result cannot outweigh many negative ones, as it can be expected by mere chance).

Naturalization vs. supernaturalization

"Naturalization"

The neologism A neologism ; from Greek νέος (neos 'new') + λόγος (logos 'speech') is a newly coined word that may be in the process of entering common use, but has not yet been accepted into mainstream language. Neologisms are often directly attributable to a specific person, publication, period, or event. According to Oxford English Dictionary the naturalize, meaning "to make natural", is sometimes used to describe the perceived process of denying any supernatural significance to events which another presumes to be supernatural. It rests on the believer's presumption that supernatural events can and do occur; thus, their description as "natural" by the skeptic is seen as a result of a process of deliberate or unconscious denial of any supernatural significance, thus, "naturalization." (This meaning of the word should not be confused with naturalization Naturalization is the acquisition of citizenship and nationality by somebody who was not a citizen or national of that country when he or she was born, the process of voluntarily acquiring citizenship at some time after birth. Also, plants, for example many wildflowers and bulbs including lilies, will "naturalize"; that is spread and develop beds without extra cultivation.)

"Supernaturalization"

The neologism supernaturalize, meaning "to make supernatural", is sometimes used to describe the perceived process of ascribing supernatural causes to events which someone else presumes to be natural. This perceived process may also be referred to as mythification or spiritualization. It rests on the presumption In the law of evidence, a presumption of a particular fact can be made without the aid of proof in some situations. The types of presumption includes a rebuttable discretionary presumption, a rebuttable mandatory presumption, and an irrebutable or conclusive presumption. The invocation of a presumption shifts the burden of proof from one party to of the skeptic that supernatural events cannot or are unlikely to occur; thus, their description by the believer as supernatural is seen as the result of a process of deliberate or unconscious mysticism, thus, "supernaturalization". Supernaturalization can also mean the process by which stories and historical accounts are altered to describe supernatural elements.

The subjective nature of the issue

Two people may come to completely different conclusions based on identical evidence. One may automatically "screen out" possible explanations simply because they conflict with one's paradigm The word paradigm has been used in linguistics and science to describe distinct concepts. It comes from Greek "παράδειγμα" (paradeigma), "pattern, example, sample" from the verb "παραδείκνυμι" (paradeiknumi), "exhibit, represent, expose" and that from "παρά" (para), ", or world view, and create cognitive dissonance. There can also be many other motivations, conscious or unconscious, for this selective awareness. For example, to make oneself "look good" to others and thus avoid isolation, or perhaps the desire to imitate personal heroes. Generally we criticize and question the picture of reality held by others; it is rare to question one's own, rarer still to admit our own is distorted.

Suggested instances of supernatural events

• The Tunguska Event The Tunguska Event, or Tunguska explosion, was a powerful explosion that occurred near the Podkamennaya Tunguska River in what is now Krasnoyarsk Krai of Russia, at 0 hours 13 minutes 35 seconds Greenwich Mean Time (around 7:14 a.m. local time) on June 30, 1908 (June 17 in the Julian calendar, in use locally at the time) reported as an instance of supernaturalization through an examination of the Bible and compared to historical events published in the contemporary public record.^[17]

In fiction

The supernatural is a topic in various fictional genres, especially horror fiction and fantasy fiction.

See also

• Dualism, the view that the mental and the physical have a fundamentally different nature as an answer to the philosophical mind-body problem.
• Idealism, any theory positing the primacy of spirit, mind, or language over matter. It includes claims that mental structure or function plays some crucial role in forming the world of experience.
• Magical thinking
• Miracle
• Monism, the view that the mental and physical are ultimately part of the same super-reality which both the physical and non-physical world(s) compose. The view that differing realities are not the end-all-be-all in themselves. Monism can involve material monism, the view that only the physical is real and all else are manifestations of the physical; idealist monism which holds that only the mental is real and all else are manifestations of the mental; or neutral monism.
• Paranormal
• Preternatural
• Vitalism, the doctrine that life cannot be explained solely by mechanism. Often, the nonmaterial element is referred to as the soul, the "vital spark", or some kind of spiritual energy.
• Quantum physics / quantum pseudo-telepathy: a measurable occurrence that seems to demonstrate some kind of communication has taken place between people when none has.
• God of the gaps, the ascription to a supernatural cause of that which science does not explain.
• Ex nihilo, (Latin, "out of nothing"), refers to a doctrine of creation that claims the world, by divine fiat, emerged from a state of absolute nothingness.
• Supernatural fiction
• Bethel School of Supernatural Ministry
• Author C. J. Stevens wrote The Supernatural Side of Maine, a 2002 book about out-of-body experiences, witches, haunted houses, alien abductions, and people from Maine who faced the supernatural

References

1. ^ Merriam-Webster.com Merriam-Webster Dictionary
2. ^ "The paranormal – Google Books". Books.google.com. http://books.google.com/books?id=znMqAQAAIAAJ&q=%22supernatural+beliefs%22+%22paranormal%22&dq=%22supernatural+beliefs%22+%22paranormal%22&hl=en&ei=SdpNTMioFoeglAeH97D5DQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CDIQ6AEwAg. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
3. ^ "Changing World Religions, Cults & Occult – Google Books". Books.google.com. http://books.google.com/books?id=DTPJpanTizwC&pg=PA363&dq=%22supernatural+beliefs%22+%22god%22+creator&hl=en&ei=P9lNTOi_E4SBlAfj2tn1DQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=4&ved=0CDgQ6AEwAw#v=onepage&q=%22supernatural%20beliefs%22%20%22god%22%20creator&f=false. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
4. ^ "Bulletin of the Institute of ... – Google Books". Books.google.com. January 9, 2007. http://books.google.com/books?id=yyQZAAAAIAAJ&q=%22supernatural+beliefs%22+%22natural%22+rainbow&dq=%22supernatural+beliefs%22+%22natural%22+rainbow&hl=en&ei=p9pNTNJZw_uXB5uxqfYN&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CC4Q6AEwAQ. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
5. ^ "Origins of the social mind ... – Google Books". Books.google.com. http://books.google.com/books?id=-UjiZwYGdFoC&pg=PA413&dq=%22supernatural+beliefs%22+%22natural%22+rainbow&hl=en&ei=p9pNTNJZw_uXB5uxqfYN&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22supernatural%20beliefs%22%20%22natural%22%20rainbow&f=false. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
6. ^ The Two Faces of Jesus by Robin M. Jensen, Bible Review, 17.8, Oct 2002
7. ^ Understanding Early Christian Art, by Robin M. Jensen, Routledge, 2000
8. ^ (See Lynn Thorndike's classic study,The History of Magic and Experimental Science, Tarbell Course in Magic, vol 1- Harlan Tarbell, forward and epilogue to Greater Magic- John Northern Hilliard, The Discoverie of Witchcraft- Reginald Scot and the vanishing works of Henry Ridgely Evans, The Old and New Magic, The Spirit World Unmasked, and Hours with Ghosts or 19th Century Witchcraft.)
9. ^ The Psychology of Conviction: A Study of Beliefs and Attitudes by Joseph Jastrow, Houghton Mifflin Co., 1918
10. ^ Search for the Soul by Milbourne Christopher, Thomas Y. Crowell, Publishers, 1979
11. ^ "Leaving the cave: evolutionary ... – Google Books". Books.google.com. http://books.google.com/books?id=bpLYtFzP-icC&pg=PA42&dq=%22supernatural+beliefs%22+%22monists%22&hl=en&ei=odlNTPWrLYGdlgfWmfT4DQ&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=%22supernatural%20beliefs%22%20%22monists%22&f=false. Retrieved July 26, 2010.
12. ^ Dean and Kelly. "Is Astrology Relevant to Consciousness and Psi?". http://64.233.183.104/search?q=cache:mXtoOvmpSHMJ:www.imprint.co.uk.
13. ^ Shawn Carlson. "A double-blind test of astrology". Nature, 318, 419 – 425 (December 5, 1985). http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v318/n6045/abs/318419a0.html.
14. ^ Rob Nanninga. "The Astrotest — Correlation". Northern Winter, 1996/97, 15(2), p. 14-20.. http://www.skepsis.nl/astrot.html.
15. ^ Robert Matthews (August 17, 2003). "Comprehensive study of 'time twins' debunks astrology". London Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on May 22, 2007. http://web.archive.org/web/20070522093713/http://www.washtimes.com/world/20030817-105449-9384r.htm.
16. ^ Dean, Geoffery. "Artifacts in data often wrongly seen as evidence for astrology". http://www.rudolfhsmit.nl/d-arti2.htm.
17. ^ "Post Abortion Syndrome (PAS): Summary, symptoms, frequency". Religioustolerance.org. http://www.religioustolerance.org/wright01.htm. Retrieved July 26, 2010.

Further reading

• Wonders of the Invisible World, Cotton Mather, Boston, 1693
• More Wonders of the Invisible World, Robert Calef, 1700
• The Supernatural Side of Maine, C. J. Stevens, 2002

External links

• CBN Video: Living a Life of Miracles
• CBN Video: Miracles Outside the Church Walls
• Testimonies on iBethel.tv

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