Re: Signs of Scientism

Herbert Spencer coined the term "survival of the fittest" didn't he?
Didn't Spencer's ideas actually predate some of Darwin's -- or at least
his publication? Sorry if this was all recently hashed and I missed or
forgot it. But social darwinism fascinates me even if in some morbid
sort of way.

--merv

Gregory Arago wrote:
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 associati on 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
Received on Sun Jan 22 22:35:33 2006