Abstract

Philosophical naturalism in the 1960's has a much different appearance than it had in the 1940's when it had reached its peak of influence. Tumultuous changes both at home and abroad brought with them a biting wind of criticism that bared the weaknesses of this now infirm philosophy.

The heart of naturalism is its methodology, so I shall discuss its shortcomings at the beginning and how it infected its total perspective. First, it may now be seen that naturalism is unstated moderate phenomenalism despite its attemps to give the appearance of basing itself firmly on the world of nature. What makes this so difficult to detect is that one is encouraged to believe that naturalism is shamefaced materialism.