In case of each and every one of us, there are some things which arouse our curiosity and keep us interested. These things vary for
different people. But there are some concepts which make one and all curious. One such thing is the
concept of the “Supernatural”. This concept has enthralled our ancestors for many decades and continues to fascinate present generations also. The efforts made by mankind to know more about this branch of science has increased over the years. Today many financial institutions and universities are coming forward to provide money for research into this subject.
Supernatural(SN) refers to forces which the beyond ordinary
scientific measurement. SN claims include phenomenon which defy the boundaries of scientific understanding. Its concept is closely related to metaphysics, religion and other belief systems. The term SN includes those
events which occur against the
natural laws. These are supposed to be caused by forces external to the nature. In some religions, SN events are considered to be those caused by god. These beliefs state that all events are caused by god himself or his creations. However, some people from the scientific community remain skeptical. They say that all incidents are natural and have a scientific and reasonable explanation. Some people have even gone to the extent of saying that
Supernatural beliefs are nothing but the thoughts exaggerated by humans to cope with the feelings of fear and ignorance.
In the recent years, the concept of supernatural has gained very much importance. Many proponents of the supernatural theory believe that all the mysterious of
nature cannot yet be explained by natural explanations. They believe that there is a force which runs and controls the entire universe and happenings in it. Great scientists of the past were also said to have believed in the concept of supernatural. A vast majority of people, of all races, religions, and ages, believe and have always believed in supernatural phenomena of one form or another.
The thinking of the people in modern times has undergone a major change. We know science as a field of study concerned with something that can be measured and noted through observation. But science, in itself is incapable of examining or testing the presence of the SN. Many events which were thought to be supernatural earlier have been proved to be natural phenomenon with the help of recent developments in science. But presence of SN depends finally on the thinking of all individuals. Volcanoes were once considered as deities and natural calamities as the action of gods. People gave sacrifices to gods in order to please them. But today all these have a scientific explanation. As the man’s knowledge keeps increasing, the boundary of the concept of the supernatural begins to lose importance.
The proponents of the supernatural phenomenon often criticize others for their disbelief in the SN. Most of these beliefs are connected to religion and the believers of the SN are mainly theists. An individual's interpretation of events depends upon his conscious or unconscious theories toward the nature of the universe. Since each brings a unique set of personal attributes to a situation, and each situation brings different forces to bear, two people may come to completely different conclusions based on identical evidence. Some people try to make ordinary events look supernatural and other always deny the presence of any such force in nature. Some say that belief in the SN obstructs people from maintaining an open mind towards various issues. Generally we criticize and question the picture of reality held by others, which is true in case of most human beings.
People have argued that there is a need to look at this concept from a different view point. The fact that scientists often make errors refutes the existence of the natural universe; and that the supernatural by its very nature cannot be explored through science, and must therefore be explored through different means, such as spirituality. Non-believers try to refute whatever the proponents say. This debate between the two groups continues to go on. But the debate can only be ended when the answer to the concept is found out. Until that time, the argument will go on.
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