Petersen, Arthur; (2024) Willem Drees and the Varieties of Naturalism. In: Runehov, Anne and Fuller, Michael, (eds.) Science, Religion, the Humanities and Hope: Essays in Honour of Willem B. Drees. (pp. 73-83). Springer Nature: Cham, Switzerland.

Text Petersen_Festschrift_Drees_accepted_version.pdf - Accepted Version Access restricted to UCL open access staff until 20 March 2026. Download (189kB)

Abstract

In several of his works, Willem Drees has engaged with many varieties of naturalism. In this chapter I review his own preferred variety, which he most recently labelled ‘science-inspired naturalism’, linking it back to some of his earlier works and mapping it to an overview of the varieties of naturalism and the ‘transcendental naturalism’ that I have recently advocated in dialogue with William James, Heinrich Rickert and Bruno Latour. Drees distinguishes between ‘science-inspired naturalism’, ‘philosophical naturalism’ and ‘religious naturalism’. He argues for science-inspired naturalism and sees philosophical naturalism and religious naturalism as optional choices which are not necessarily implicated by science-inspired naturalism. I assess his claims on naturalism and science, naturalism and philosophy and naturalism and religion. I conclude that his work is compatible with my variety: transcendental naturalism. This means that science must be taken seriously, philosophy must as much as possible refrain from metaphysics and religion must take metaphysics on faith without resorting to supernaturalism.

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