What is a Natural Phenomenon?

Debate with Mike Stone

In a recent debate with ‘No-Virus’ front-man Mike Stone on his latest hit-piece—this time an all-out character assault directed toward Thomas Baldwin, aka ‘Sense Strand’, assistant professor of barley pathology at North Dakota State University (NDSU)—Stone attempts to argue that a ‘natural phenomenon’ is solely an event occurring in nature. Because viruses are not events, he claims they cannot be studied using the scientific method. And this applies to all other biological things, according to Stone.

A short explanation is needed on why this term is being employed by those like Stone in the first place.

Stone frequently presents a multi-step diagram purportedly illustrating the scientific method. Its initial step dictates the necessity to "Observe a natural phenomenon." According to Stone's interpretation, all phenomena are construed solely as events, devoid of any other ontological dimensions. He contends that a natural phenomenon must strictly be an event, precluding any notion of it being a tangible entity, object, or other thing. Consequently, Stone argues that since viruses do not align with his narrow definition of phenomena as only being “events”, then they cannot be observed by science. After all, according to Stone, the scientific method must start with an observation of a natural phenomenon. As such, he dismisses them to artificial origins, products of human intervention, or even part of fraud.