Do You Suffer From Subconscious Scientism?

Scientism is roughly the belief that the only knowledge that can be had is scientific. So, when a periodical wants to claim that something is true, they (if those at the magazine are acting like believers in scientism) find a scientist to say that the “fact” in question has been empirically verified by some study.

I have been exposed in the course of my Graduate training in Philosophy as a subconscious believer in scientism (henceforth known as BS). I admit that when Newsweek quotes a scientist I am more apt to believe it is true than when they ask someone else. I “know” that scientism is self-refuting. Specifically that the claim that only scientific knowledge can be know is not itself scientific. However, there has been something of the fabric of our culture woven into by belief system that has kept me from fully rejecting BS.

However, in rejecting BS one need not reject the proper authority of science with respect to scientific things. To ask “what are scientific things?” is to ask a philosophical question by nature. Philosophical inquiry has helped balance me and at least given me an stronger internal “comfort” inclining me to be more objective.

So, my encouragement is to do a bit of self reflection this weekend and ask yourself if someone quotes a scientist are you MORE likely to believe it? If you, why? Is the question the scientist answering properly scientific?

Philosophy
Education