Naturalism and its discontents

Naturalism, in it various guises, has become academic orthodoxy. In a recent survey of philosophers, only 15% identified themselves as theists, 73% as atheists, and 50% as philosophical naturalists. Yet naturalism is more often assumed than defended. It is seldom defined or discussed with precision. Given its influence, it needs critique. I propose a book, attractively written and published in an important series, on naturalism and its shortcomings. The book, already under contract for the prestigious and influential Blackwell Companion to Philosophy series, will offer a systematic definition, defense and then critique of naturalism. Then it will offer critical discussions of how various areas of philosophy—-metaphysics, science, knowledge, mind, truth, religion, mathematics, social philosophy, free will and ethics--look from the perspective of naturalism. Each section of this edited collection will also include substantive criticisms of philosophical naturalism by both non-theists and theists. This offers a unique opportunity to be able to influence and critique naturalism in an important and widely read reference book. This project is NOT aimed at defending naturalism: the book might better be called, "naturalism and its discontents," with theists/non-naturalists getting the last word in every section. Major contributors, both theistic and non-theistic alike, have already agreed to contribute to the volume. This will instantly become the standard reference work on naturalism. It will also be used as a textbook on naturalism for both advanced undergraduate and graduate courses. And the book will prove of interest to a wide audience--undergraduate and graduate students, scholars in a variety of related disciplines, and educated laypersons. Because it contains powerful criticisms, it will influence the next generation's understanding of naturalism and its discontents.