Which philosophical doctrine suggests that the world can be understood through scientific explanations without referring to the supernatural?

Naturalism is the philosophical doctrine that posits that everything arises from natural properties and causes, emphasizing a scientific approach to understanding the world. It rejects supernatural explanations and asserts that phenomena can be explained through laws of nature and scientific inquiry. This perspective aligns with a worldview that relies on observable, empirical evidence and often seeks to explain experiences and existence in terms of natural processes.

While empiricism also emphasizes observation and experience as fundamental to knowledge acquisition, it does not exclusively exclude the supernatural; rather, it focuses on the validity of knowledge derived from sensory experience. Realism, on the other hand, is concerned with the existence of the external world independent of perception but does not inherently address the supernatural versus the natural. Idealism, conversely, suggests that reality is mentally constructed or immaterial, often leading to a more abstract interpretation of existence that could include supernatural dimensions.

Thus, naturalism is the most fitting choice as it specifically emphasizes an understanding of the world based entirely on scientific reasoning without reliance on supernatural elements.