Subject: MATERIALISM is METAPHYSIC

To: PRESTON SIMPSON

From: ROGER GRIFFITH

Date: 10/9/94 3:57:01 PM

MATERIALISM IS BASED ON METAPHYSICAL ASSUMPTIONS

Every system has its "first principles," or foundational presuppositions upon which it is based, and materialism is no different. Yet, because these presuppositions are not material in nature or demonstration, materialists become very nervous when confronted by them. The following is a list of FAITH ASSUMPTIONS or presuppositions of materialism:

1. Materialism assumes the doctrine of human autonomy.

Human autonomy is the theory that man, starting from himself and by himself, can understand man and the world around him without any supernatural revelation or information. It assumes that "Man is the measure of all things," and man can build a unified system of knowledge by which everything can be explained. The tragic history of philosohpy, in which each system refutes the ones going before it, should have taught materialists the invalidity of the theory of human autonomy. Human autonomy always ends in skepticism, IOW, reason cannot come to any conclusions at all!

2. Materialism assumes the theory of empiricism is true.

Its adherents fail to see that empiricism is self-refuting. The theory that all knowledge is limited to what can be empirically known is itself incapable of being known or demonstrated on empirical grounds.

3. Materialism assumes a closed universe in which everything in principle is explainable in material categories.

When confronted by evidence for nonmaterial realities, they end up arguing in a circle by asserting that such things as miracles do not exist because they cannot exist. The concept of a closed universe leads to a closed system and a closed mind which argues: "Don't confuse me with the facts; my mind is already made up."

4. Materialism assumes the doctrine of ontological thinking,

IOW, that reality must conform to what the materialist thinks it to be. Anything which is unthinkable to them cannot exist. They thus reduce or limit reality to what their finite minds can grasp. Since they philosophically reduce reality to material objects, they assume that nonmaterial objects (unthinkable in material terms) cannot exist.

These metaphysical assumptions reveal a RELIGIOUS COMMITTMENT to a mechanistic, closed universe. They are groundless by materialism's own rules because they are not rooted in human experience.

They are leaps of faith.

Origin: (1:301/10)

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