“Unusual Forces”: A Conceptual Model of the Realm between Naturalistic and Supernatural Healing

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dc.contributor.advisorLevin, Jeff
dc.contributor.authorShuler, Sunny
dc.contributor.departmentUniversity Scholars - Honors Programen_US
dc.contributor.schoolsHonors College.en_US
dc.contributor.schoolsUniversity Scholars.en_US
dc.date.accessioned2012-04-29T19:50:22Z
dc.date.available2012-04-29T19:50:22Z
dc.date.copyright2012
dc.date.issued2012-04-29
dc.description.abstractIn contemporary research on spiritual healing, the traditional way to view healing is as occurring either because of naturalistic means (i.e., explainable by the popular scientific method and by reference to existing scientific theories) or by supernatural means (i.e., explainable as miraculous or due to God or a divine power acting “ex nihilo”). In addition, there exists a third category of explanations for healing posited by some investigators, invoking a variety of unusual forces, whereby healing cannot be described as attributable solely to either supernatural or naturalistic categories. This thesis explores explanations for healing attributed to this third category, and presents a conceptual model-taxonomy categorizing the various ways that healing due to such forces has been described. After first explaining the need for a conceptual model, this thesis next presents an overview of current explanations proposed from those working within numerous scholarly disciplines, including the philosophy and history of medicine, consciousness research, prayer research, Christian religion and theology, and transpersonal psychology. By presenting a conceptual model that differentiates these explanations on the basis of the concept of nonlocality, this thesis provides a way to make sense of cases of healing attributed to such forces. This model will thereby aid in providing a foundation for further theoretical discussion, research, and practice in regard to different types of spiritual healing.en_US
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2104/8329
dc.language.isoen_USen_US
dc.rightsBaylor University projects are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.en_US
dc.rights.accessrightsWorldwide accessen_US
dc.subjectHealing.en_US
dc.subjectSupernatural.en_US
dc.subjectUnusual Forces.en_US
dc.subjectNonlocal.en_US
dc.title“Unusual Forces”: A Conceptual Model of the Realm between Naturalistic and Supernatural Healingen_US
dc.typeThesisen_US

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