[lbo-talk] more thoughtlessness on scientism

ravi ravi at platosbeard.org
Thu Jun 14 08:33:27 PDT 2007


On 14 Jun, 2007, at 10:02 AM, Wojtek Sokolowski wrote:
> I think that the very term "scientism" as opposed
> to old fashioned "fraud" and "charlatanry" smacks of ideological
> obscurantism, populism, and luddism by stipulating that there is
> something
> suspicious in science itself rather than in its improper or
> fraudulent uses.

Ha! Just as sexism implies that there is something suspicious in sex itself... well perhaps there is! This (the sort of non-argument resident polemic -- Woj -- whom I greatly enjoy reading, especially when he takes off on the "working class" -- offers above) is all in fact obscurantism of the worst kind, though highly entertaining as noted, but quite in line with the tactics of today's high priests when they are challenged: a lot of hand-waving, name-calling, appeal to authority and a very quick abandoning of the "scientific method" (as defined by them).

Anyway, at the cost of sounding stuffy and dismissive (perhaps even without cause), this is all covered in philosophy of science 101 and I shall continue to refrain from rehashing it with the usual suspects. I will say though that other list-members who have the suspicion that [especially non-scientists] use this ill-defined thing called "science" to bully others into accepting their views ("Truths") should not feel intimidated at all by such. Logic is on your side (as the rhetoric of the opposite side demonstrates)! ;-)

Chuck: thanks for the response,

--ravi



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