Final answer:
Under methodological naturalism, scientists persist in searching for natural explanations for unexplained structures, using observation and empirical evidence to uncover natural laws. Supernatural explanations are not preferred unless backed by strong empirical evidence.
Step-by-step explanation:
Under methodological naturalism, a guiding principle in science, when we encounter an unexplained structure or phenomenon, we continue to search for a natural explanation. This approach is central to the scientific method, which relies on observation, experimentation, and empirical evidence. The process of science is to describe the universe as it truly is, focusing on discovering the natural laws that govern phenomena. This necessitates that supernatural explanations are not preferred unless there is strong empirical evidence to support them, which is seldom the case due to their non-physical nature.
Scientists build models, theories, and laws based on collected and analyzed data to communicate the results of experiments and to generate a deeper understanding of such phenomena. This rigorous process involves imagination, struggle, and sometimes disappointment, but always with the expectation of eventually finding a naturalistic explanation. Thus, when we cannot explain something immediately, we continue our investigation rather than resorting to supernatural conjecture.