The supernatural or supranatural (Latin: ''super'', ''supra'' "above" + ''natura'' "nature") is anything above or beyond what one holds to be natural or exists outside natural law and the Observable universe.

Supernatural themes are often associated with paranormal and occult ideas, suggesting the possibility of interaction with the supernatural by means of summoning or trance. In secular societies, religious miracles are typically perceived as supernatural claims, as are spells and curses, divination, and the afterlife. Characteristics for phenomena claimed as supernatural are anomaly, uniqueness, and uncontrollability. Thus, the conditions in which such phenomena are thought to manifest may not be reproducible for scientific examination.

Supernatural phenomena are sometimes referred to as paranormal. The field of study dealing with the supernatural is sometimes called metaphysics, theology or the occult.

Contrasting views

The first homo sapiens explained all complex phenomena on the basis of assumptions that per force included what may be called both natural and supernatural causes. The human brain must make assumptions in order to explain the phenomena to which it is exposed for that is the only way in which it can convert nerve signals into concepts. Repetition of observed phenomena helps to rectify the objectivity or relative validity of human comprehension of reality that, at the earliest stages of the accumulation of human knowledge, included testable as well as non-testable hypotheses i.e., natural and supernatural concepts. Science has, through the ages, continued to determine which ones of existing explanations are scientifically valid. Supernatural explanations of an age form part of those assumptions that were not established as scientifically valid in that age. Once an irrational or supernatural explanation is validated or rectified by science, the growing body of human knowledge assimilates the scientific concepts that replace earlier concept and humans continue to uncover the secrets of the cosmos in which they find themselves. Meanwhile adherents to supernatural beliefs hold that such occurrences exist just as surely as does the natural world. Opponents argue that there are natural, scientific explanations for what they often perceive as the supernatural. Epistemologically there is no conflict between science and belief in the supernatural.

One complicating factor is that there is no universal agreement about what the definition of “natural” is, and what the limits of naturalism might be. Concepts in the supernatural domain are closely related to concepts in religious spirituality and occultism or spiritualism. Additionally, by definition anything that exists naturally is not supernatural.

The term "supernatural" is often used interchangeably with paranormal or preternatural — the latter typically limited to an adjective for describing abilities which appear to exceed the bounds of possibility (''see'' the nature of God in Western theology, anthropology of religion, and Biblical cosmology). Likewise, legendary characters such as vampires and leprechauns are not typically considered supernatural.

Many supporters of supernatural explanations believe that past, present, and future complexities and mysteries of the universe cannot be explained solely by naturalistic means and argue that it is reasonable to assume that a non-natural entity or entities resolve the unexplained. Those who consider only natural explanations to be acceptable in science would support such as explanations as The Big Bang, abiogenesis, and evolution for the origin of the universe and the origin and development of life. By its own definition, science is incapable of examining or testing for the existence of things that have no physical effects, because its methods rely on the observation of physical effects. Proponents of supernaturalism say that their belief system is more flexible, which allows more diversity in terms of intuition and epistemology. Some opponents argue that many supernatural claims involve physical phenomena that can be tested, but believe that scientific tests to date have failed to uphold the validity of those claims.

Views on the "supernatural" include that it is:

indistinct from nature. From this perspective, some events occur according to physical laws, and others occur according to a separate set of principles external to known physics. For example, those who believe in angels and spirits generally think that they are naturally present in the cosmos. Some religious people also believe that all things that humans see as natural act in a systematic fashion only because God wills it so, and that natural laws are an extension of divine will.

incorrectly attributed to nature. Others believe that all events have natural and only natural causes. They believe that human beings ascribe supernatural attributes to purely natural events, such as lightning, rainbows, floods, and the origin of life. Opponents of the idea of the supernatural say that humanity's knowledge of the world is continuously increasing. Some occurrences, once assumed supernatural, can today be explained by scientific theories. Studies suggest supernatural phenomena are not detectable in scientifically controlled conditions. There have been, for example, various studies on astrology, most of them with negative results.

part of a larger nature. Monists and process theorists tend to hold this view. In such a context, the "supernatural" is just a term for parts of nature that modern science and philosophy do not yet properly understand, similar to how sound and lightning used to be mysterious forces to science. Materialist monists believe that the "supernatural" consists of things in the physical universe not yet understood by modern science, while idealist monists reject the concept of "supernatural" on the grounds that they believe "nature" ''is'' the non-material. Neutral monists maintain that "nature" and "supernature" are artificial categories as they believe that the material and non-material are both either equally real and simultaneously existent, or illusions that stem from the human mind's interpretation of reality.

In fiction

The supernatural is a topic in various fictional genres, especially in Science fiction, horror fiction and fantasy fiction.

See also

Dualism, the view that the mental and the physical have a fundamentally different nature as an answer to the philosophical mind-body problem.

Ex nihilo, (Latin, "out of nothing"), refers to a doctrine of creation that claims the world, by divine fiat, emerged from a state of absolute nothingness.

God of the gaps, the ascription to a supernatural cause that which science does not yet explain.

Idealism, any theory positing the primacy of spirit, mind, or language over matter. It includes claims that mental structure or function plays some crucial role in forming the world of experience.

Magical thinking

Miracle

Monism, the view that the mental and physical are ultimately part of the same super-reality which both the physical and non-physical world(s) compose. The view that differing realities are not the end-all-be-all in themselves. Monism can involve material monism, the view that only the physical is real and all else are manifestations of the physical; idealist monism which holds that only the mental is real and all else are manifestations of the mental; or neutral monism.

Paranormal

Preternatural

Quantum mysticism

Vitalism, the doctrine that life cannot be explained solely by mechanism. Often, the nonmaterial element is referred to as the soul, the "vital spark", or some kind of spiritual energy.

List of genres

References

Further reading

''Wonders of the Invisible World'', Cotton Mather, Boston, 1693

''More Wonders of the Invisible World'', Robert Calef, 1700

''The Supernatural Side of Maine'', C. J. Stevens, 2002

External links

CBN Video: Living a Life of Miracles

CBN Video: Miracles Outside the Church Walls

Testimonies on iBethel.tv

Category:Mythological powers

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Travis Rice (born October 9, 1982 Jackson Hole, Wyoming) is a professional snowboarder who grew up and currently resides by Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. He is #13 on Snowboarder Magazine’s list of the Top Twenty Most Influential Riders, and is known for being the Paul Revere of the big mountain freestyle movement.

Raised a skier by his father, a member of Jackson Hole Ski Patrol, Rice initially did not understand the rave of the new sport springing up on his mountain. However, he would soon catch on and join the local team. In 2001, without a sponsor and only 18 years old, Rice drove to Mammoth Mountain in California to ride at Snowboarder Magazine’s “Superpark”. Recognition from the snowboarding world would come at this event, when Rice launched a backside rodeo off a 110 foot gap jump. Absinthe Films' producer Justin Hostynek immediately approached Rice to begin filming for their upcoming movie, Transcendence, and the rest is history.

Rice has filmed outstanding video parts year after year, producing jaw-dropping shots like his switch 540 over Chad’s Gap in Utah, a 120 foot backcountry gap jump. On top of that, he has won several US Opens, an X-Games gold, and an Icer Air gold, where he landed the first double rodeo 1080 in competition.

In 2008, Rice co-produced (with filmmaker Curt Morgan) and starred in the snowboarding film ''That’s It That’s All''. This film featured a dream cast of Troy Blackburn, Jeremy Jones, Mark Landvik, Terje Haakonsen, Nicolas Müller, Scotty Lago, Pat Moore, John Jackson, Jake Blauvelt, and fellow Jackson Hole residents Bryan Iguchi and Kyle Clancy. Rice’s part in That’s It That’s All, which included the first ever double cork 1260, heavily influenced his sweep at the Transworld Magazine Rider’s Poll. He won Rider of the Year, Video Part of the Year, Standout of the Year, and Readers’ Choice award. In September 2011, Rice will release "The Art of Flight," a film made in collaboration with the same team behind "That's It, That's All," including John Jackson, Mark Landvik and Jeremy Jones.

His sponsors are Quiksilver, LIB Tech, Victoria Secret, DC, Red Bull, Bluebird Wax, Jack’s Garage & Jackson Hole Mountain Resort.

Career highlights

Travis Rice's professional snowboarding career started in 2001. Various competition results taken from EXPN.

2008-2009

1st in X-games Big Air Competition

4th - CJ - 5Star Red Bull Snow Scrapers (Ticket to Ride (World Snowboard Tour))

Transworld Rider of the Year

2007-2008

11th, Nokia Air & Style Big Air Competition 1st, ICER AIR, San Francisco, CA (Big Air event). With a best run score of 95 for his Double backside Rodeo 1080.

1st Winter X Games Big Air Double Cork 1080

2005-2006

12th, FIS World Cup #1, Valle Nevado, Chile (Halfpipe)

8th, Nokia Air & Style, Munich, Germany (Slopestyle)

51st, Chevrolet US Snowboard Grand Prix Halfpipe #1

26th, Chevrolet US Snowboard Grand Prix Halfpipe #2

9th, X Games 10 (Slopestyle)

2nd, Honda Session at Vail, Co (Rail)

3rd, Honda Session at Vail, Co (Slopestyle)

33rd, Ticket To Ride World Snowboard Tour (Season End Rankings, Overall)

2004-2005

Named by “Faces Magazine” as one of the Top 20 Greatest Athletes Now

2nd, X-Trail Jam, Tokyo, Japan (Quarterpipe)

3rd, X-Trail Jam, Tokyo, Japan (Straight Jump)

1st, US Snowboard Grandprix, Breckenridge, Co (Rails)

2nd, US Snowboard Grandprix, Breckenridge, Co (Halfpipe)

8th, US Snowboard Grandprix Season End Ranking (Halfpipe)

10th, X Games 2005 (Superpipe)

3rd, X Games 2005 (Slopestyle)

2nd, Abominable Snow Jam, Mount Hood, Oregon (Quarterpipe)

3rd, Abominable Snow Jam, Mount Hood, Oregon (Slopestyle)

2003-2004

1st, Arctic Challenge, Trysilfjellet, Norway (Quarterpipe Overall)

9th, Arctic Challenge, Trysilfjellet, Norway (Slopestyle)

1st, Boost Mobile Pro-Jam (Rail)

1st, Boost Mobile Pro-Jam

4th, Winter X Games 2003 (Slopestyle)

21st, Winter X Games 2003 (Superpipe)

1st, Abominable Snow Jam (Slopestyle)

1st, Abominable Snow Jam (Quarterpipe)

1st, Grand Prix, Breckenridge, Co. (Rail)

1st, X-Rail Jam Tokyodome 2003 (Jam Session)

1st, US Open Rail Jam

1st, The Session, Vail, Co. (Rail)

4th, The Session, Vail, Co. (Slopestyle)

1st, Montana Christchurch Big Air, New Zealand

2002-2003

1st, X-Games (Slopestyle)

1st, Grand Prix, Breckenridge (Big Air)

4th, World Snowboard Federation Season End (Slopestyle)

4th, The Session, Vail, Colorado (Slopestyle)

1st, The Session, Vail, Colorado (Rail Jam)

2nd, Toyota Slopestyle, Kijimadaira, Japan (Slopestyle)

3rd, US Open, Stratton, Vermont (Slopestyle)

1st, US Open, Stratton, Vermont (Rail Jam)

2001-2002

TransWorld Rookie Of The Year

1st (FIS Halfpipe), FIS, Park City

2nd, Vans Triple Crown Series, Breckenridge, Colorado (Slopestyle) 3rd, Vans Triple Crown Series, Snow Summit, California (Slopestyle)

4th, World Championships, Vail, Co. (Slopestyle)

1st, Yahoo Big Air, Breckenridge, Co. (Big Air)

7th, US Grand Prix, Mount Bachelor, Oregon (Halfpipe)

9th, Vans Triple Crown (Season End, Overall)

Video parts

The Art of Flight - Brainfarm (2011)

Neverland - Absinthe Films (2009)

That's It, That's All (2008)

DC MTN.LAB 1.5 (2007) Billabong - Lines (2007)

DC MTN.LAB

The Gap Sessions

First Descent

The Community Project

Pop

Night of the Living Shred

The Prophecy (2002)

Revenge of the Grenerds

Futureproof

More

Full Metal Edges

Saturation

Vivid (2002)

Deeper (2010)

Transcendence (2002)

References

External links

Posts tagged 'Travis Rice' on SuperStoker

Category:Snowboarding Category:1982 births Category:Living people Category:American snowboarders Category:X-Games athletes

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