Scientific materialism is a philosophical perspective that views material processes as the source of all phenomena. It is founded on the notion that nature is ultimately composed of physical and material elements, and that all phenomena, including mental states and events, are the result of physical interactions between these elements. The underlying mechanisms of these processes are explored and studied by means of the scientific method, culminating in a worldview that emphasizes the scope, power and potential of physical laws, rather than relying on supernatural or metaphysical explanations. Scientific materialism, then, is an important tool for understanding the world and our place within it.

See also: scientific revolution, western enlightenment, biological machine, medical model, quantum physics