Materialism is a philosophy that physical matter is the fundamental truth and that everything, including thought and consciousness, can be explained through physical interactions of matter. It rejects the existence of non-physical or supernatural entities like God, souls, spirits or angels. Implications of materialism include atheism since it denies anything exists beyond the natural, physical world. Materialism also questions concepts of an afterlife, morality and dualistic views of human nature. It asserts that knowledge must be based on empirical evidence from the senses and science alone.

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2. Materialism
Objectives:
1.Understand the philosophy and
implications of materialism
2. Understand the view of Islam on
materialism

3. Materialism is the theory that physical matter is the only
or fundamental truth/reality and
that all beings and processes and phenomena can be
explained as manifestations or results of matter only.
Materialism excludes the existence of entities that are
radically different from or superior to the matter of our
ordinary experience.
In the materialistic worldview, only matter matters.
Everything that is not physical and material is not
accepted.

4. 1.“a preoccupation with or emphasis on material
objects, comforts, and considerations, with a
disinterest in or rejection of spiritual, intellectual,
or cultural values”.
2.“The philosophical theory that regards matter
and its motions as constituting the universe, and
all phenomena, including those of mind, as due
to material agencies".
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Definitions

5.  “a doctrine that the only or the highest values or
objectives lie in material well-being and in the
furtherance of material progress”.
 “a doctrine that economic or social change is
materially caused (historical materialism).
 “A preoccupation with or stress upon material
rather than intellectual or spiritual things
Definitions

6. “In PHILOSOPHY, the theory of materialism holds that
the only thing that exists is matter or energy; that all
things are composed of material and all phenomena
(including consciousness) are the result of material
interactions. In other words, matter is the only
substance, and reality is identical with the actually
occurring states of energy and matter”.
What do you think are the implications
of this view?
in Philosophy

7. • Materialism rejects the existence of God or
gods on whom the universe would depend for
existence or mode of operation. This leads to
atheism.
• Materialism denies the existence of angels or
spirit;
• it questions the notion of a soul, if taken to be
immaterial entity separable, in principle, from
the human body.

8. • Some of the main targets of materialism:
• religion - atheism
• dualistic views of human nature (moral dualism, (e.g. the conflict
between good and evil, mind-body or mind-matter dualism.
• Materialism negates the existence of all that which is not
within the framework/fold of change & transformation & not
perceivable by the senses.
• In Materialism, knowledge of the world and of society must be
based on sense experience and science.
• Like positivism, materialism stress on science as the only
legitimate source of knowledge explaining the causalities of
the world.

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Video Clip:
The Price of Materialism

19. Summary
Activities