Materialism as methodology Some critics object to materialism as part of an overly skeptical, narrow or reductivist approach to theorizing, rather than to the ontological claim that matter is the only substance. Particle physicist and Anglican theologian John Polkinghorne objects to what he calls promissory materialism—claims that materialistic science will eventually succeed in explaining phenomena it has not so far been able to explain.However, critics of materialism are equally guilty of prognosticating that it will never be able to explain certain phenomena. "Over a hundred years ago William James saw clearly that science would never resolve the mind-body problem." Are We Spiritual Machines? Dembski, W. Polkinghorne prefers "dual-aspect monism" to materialism.
materialism as methodology some critics object to materialism as part of an overly skeptical narrow or reductivist approach to theorizing rather than to the ontological claim that matter is the only substance particle physicist and anglican theologian john polkinghorne objects to what he calls promissory materialism—claims that materialistic science will eventually succeed in explaining phenomena it has not so far been able to explainhowever critics of materialism are equally guilty of prognosticating that it will never be able to explain certain phenomena "over a hundred years ago william james saw clearly that science would never resolve the mind-body problem" are we spiritual machines dembski w polkinghorne prefers "dual-aspect monism" to materialism