[hinckley buzzard]

"Scientism" was criticized in Psychology as early as the thirties, when Hullian behaviorism sought to reduce principles of behavior to quasi-mathematical equations. It was an impressive and prodigious effort, and yielded enduring insights, for those smart enough to pay attention--but in the end, scientism foundered on the rock of failed predictions and the limits of hypothetico-deductive principles.

That didn't hold back the "scientistic" ideologues, however, as the article makes clear.

[AndyTheBear]

I like this article...haven’t finished it (at work)...bookmarking.

[oldbrowser]

Science is the student and philosophy is the proctor.

[deadrock]

Is Albore a practitioner of scientism or those who are trying to disprove him?

[hosepipe]

Science fiction MUST seem logical, else whats the point...
Sci-fi needs a good yarn to be believable.. else its boring..
Atoms are not little balls revolving around one another.. there may be no such thing as atoms..

Reality has no need to be logical, or mentally cogent.. because it has nothing to prove.. no agenda..
Reality needs no Yarns or formulas.. or theory’s..

Because...... What is... “IS”..... and what ain’t..... “AIN’T”..
Humans are like monkeys inspecting a cheap watch.. because it’s shiny..
And, you know, TICKS...

[Zeneta]

Thank you for posting this.

read the whole thing.

along the same lines:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cwir9QbLOeo&feature=BFp&list=FLi7wN5SGPVxFeCHMzrCnE-w

[Seraphicaviary]

Nothing new here. For those who have the time, read “Apology” by Plato. It is the courtroom self-defense by Socrates before his fellow Athenians. The reason for the trumped up charges against him was he embarrassed men who thought they had valuable opinions on everything because they were experts in their very narrow fields. In short, their pride was hurt.

Humility is necessary in all professions, but especially in science. Plenty of world-class scientists today won’t admit they could possibly be wrong. Both their careers and sense of self-identities are bound up in controversial science. Those who push AGW against the evidence will not just be humiliated when it all falls apart... they will have nervous breakdowns!

[expat2]

that an advanced degree in some area of natural science confers the ability to pontificate wisely on any and all subjects

If Hollywood actors and DC politicians can pontificate on any and all subjects, so why not scientists?

[Sherman Logan]

Scientism is actually a subset of the attitude Tom Sowell has covered many times, and one I run into frequently in my line of work.

The more educated a person is, the more likely he is to assume that his expertise in field A will transfer into expertise in any field. Which is of course nonsense.

In my considerable experience doctors, lawyers and retired military officers are just about the worst in this regard.

The political expression of this attitude is the idea that lawyers and bureaucrats should be put in charge of all aspects of our society.

[PGalt]

$he blinded me with $cience...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1p6fTDGLHGQ

$$$$$$cience

[PGalt]

FYI. Who is Austin L. Hughes?

http://www.biol.sc.edu/faculty/hughes