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| − | '''Materialism''' is the belief that only [[matter]] exists, and that nothing unseen exists. Materialism is a type of [[atheism]]. Materialism holds that all phenomena and processes can be explained as manifestations or results of matter.<ref>[http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/materialism Merriam Webster Dictionary: Materialism]</ref> In popular culture, materialism refers to an obsession with money and expensive goods that money can buy.
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| − | Materialism defies both experience and [[logic]]. Experience provides numerous [[counterexamples]] that disprove materialism, such as [[migration]], [[homing]], [[action-at-a-distance]] and [[non-locality]], plus extraordinary good and evil events that lack statistically plausible explanations. Materialism is also contrary to logic, as there no logical reason to expect human senses to be able to fully recognize all of reality.
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| − | Materialism ignores unseen [[opportunity costs]], and often materialists are unable or unwilling to grasp this and other abstract truths. Materialists have trouble realizing that the deterrence effect of gun ownership yields more benefits than any [[gun control|harm that guns cause]] cause. Materialists often develop obsessions with their outlook, as reflected by [[evolution syndrome]].
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| − | == Harm Caused by Materialism ==
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| − | The falsehood of materialism causes significant harm, including:
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| − | *downplaying the harmful affects of [[gambling]] and [[pornography]], which can be even more harmful than destructive [[substance abuse]]
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| − | *downplaying non-material causes of accidents, such as young children impulsively darting towards water or into the street
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| − | *exaggerating possible material causes of anxiety and possible material remedies, such as medication
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| − | Materialism misleads people into thinking that non-material-based addictions (e.g., gambling and pornography) are not harmful to one's health. They are often very harmful despite a lack of immediate physical harm.
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| − | == Materialism in Politics ==
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| − | In politics, materialism overlooks abstract principles and instead focuses on tangible or directly observable characteristics, such as:
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| − | * race
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| − | * gender
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| − | * wealth
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| − | * job title or status
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| − | In the [[United States]], [[Democrats]] tend to be materialistic, with particularly heavy emphasis placed on race, gender and job title. [[Republicans]], in contrast, tend to focus on principles such as [[family values]], [[pro-life]] or [[economics]].
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| − | == Materialism in Education ==
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| − | Materialism is taught heavily in [[public schools]], leading students to undervalue [[unseen]] aspects of life. There is a high correlation between materialism and [[atheism]] as atheism is fundamentally a materialistic philosophy. Materialism denies that most great intellectual breakthroughs were the brainchild of men with [[faith]] in the [[unseen]].
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| − | == Materialism in Science ==
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| − | Materialism undermines [[science]] making it increasingly [[atheism|atheistic]],<ref>http://www.atheists.org/flash.line/atheism1.htm</ref> rejecting God and his works in explanations of the world and all of human experience. Instead science readily embraces [[liberal logic]] and pseudo or [[junk science]] such as [[Counterexamples to Evolution|evolution]], [[Counterexamples to Relativity|relativity]], [[global warming]] and much of [[cosmology]] and [[geology]] based on a [[Counterexamples to an Old Earth|time frame]] which predates [[creation]]. Fortunately the rigid [[logic]] of [[creation science]] is gaining in importance, enabling intelligent people to distinguish real science from atheistic secular junk science.
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| − | == Other Aspects of Materialism ==
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| − | Arguments for materialism commonly use principles such as [[Occam's Razor]] to propose that an immaterial realm is wholly superfluous to materialists' understanding of the world.
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| − | "Materialism" can also refer to an obsession with material goods.
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| − | The teachings of [[Karl Marx]] and [[Vladimir Lenin]] (see [[Marxism-Leninism]]) rest upon a philosophy of history called [[dialectical materialism]].
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| − | ==Quotes==
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| − | *"[T]he greatest failure of materialism is that it simply cannot explain the existence of [[information]]!" <ref>[http://cosmicfingerprints.com/iidb.htm Perry Marshall's website about Perry Marshall's forum posts]</ref>
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| − | == See also ==
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| − | * [[Philosophy]]
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| − | * [[Unseen]]
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| − | * [[Evolutionary materialism]]
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| − | == External links ==
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| − | *[http://creation.com/the-history-of-the-rise-of-materialism-in-western-society The history of the rise of materialism in Western society] by Clement Butel
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| − | *[http://creation.com/cs-lewis-on-materialistic-thoughts Accidental angle: C.S. Lewis on materialistic thoughts]
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| − | *[http://creation.com/15-ways-to-refute-materialistic-bigotry 15 ways to refute materialistic bigotry:A point by point response to Scientific American] by Dr. [[Jonathan Sarfati]]
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| − | == References ==
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| − | <references/>
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| − | [[Category:Philosophy]]
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| − | [[Category:Hollywood Values]]
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