Re: Signs of Scientism

Mervin's message below on the 'Signs of Scientism' thread ran across my memory tonight when reading the following passage by Herbert Spencer in First Principles (1862):
   
  "[A]n essential characteristic of advancing Science is increase in definiteness, appears indeed almost a truism, when we remember that Science may be described as definite knowledge, in contradistinction to that indefinite knowledge possessed by the uncultured. And if, as we cannot question, Science has, in the course of ages, been evolved out of this indefinite knowledge of the uncultured, then, the gradual acquirement of that great definiteness which now distinguishes it, must have been a leading trait in its evolution." (# 136)

  There's no time for me to comment about either quotation now. Spencer certainly doesn't answer Mervin's query/proposal, and doesn't here use 'progress,' though that is what he means. Nevertheless, since Merv used the word 'scientism,' it seemed on-topic to send.
   
  G. Arago
   
  
Mervin Bitikofer <mrb22667@kansas.net> wrote:
    I propose that one of the signs of a "mild" form of scientism, if there
is such a thing, is the association of the word 'progress' with
science. That word has become a kind of axiomatic equivalent for
ultimate good. Yes, there will be setbacks and failures in our
investigations, theories, and technological applications, but these have the potential to leave us smarter than we were before and so we have a faith that progress is a good thing and that science is pretty much
synonymous with progress. Now I'm not trying to promote an eternal
'pessimism' as an alternative, but I'm just making a guess that our
society's staunch faith in scientific progress could be a more unifying
common denominator than any other religion has ever been.

  --merv

                
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Received on Sun Jan 22 21:06:14 2006