Scientific materialism, as Rob Burbea might articulate, refers to a worldview that regards the physical, measurable universe as the sole reality, asserting that everything, from consciousness to complex phenomena, can be explained entirely by interactions of matter and energy. This perspective often dismisses or devalues subjective experiences, spiritual insights, and non-material dimensions of existence, viewing them as mere byproducts of material processes. Scientific materialism posits that empirical science—based on observation, experimentation, and logical analysis—holds the ultimate authority in understanding reality, thus relegating other ways of knowing, such as intuition, metaphysical reflection, or mystical experience, to the realm of illusion or irrelevance. This worldview, while powerful and pragmatic in many contexts, can sometimes lead to a reductionist and fragmented sense of existence, neglecting the richness and depth of human experience beyond the physical realm.

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