Scientism

Scientism is the belief that science and the scientific method are the best or only way to render truth about the world and reality.[1][2]

While the term was defined originally to mean "methods and attitudes typical of or attributed to natural scientists", some scholars, as well as political and religious leaders, have also adopted it as a pejorative term with the meaning "an exaggerated trust in the efficacy of the methods of natural science applied to all areas of investigation (as in philosophy, the social sciences, and the humanities)".[2][3]

  1. ^ "Glossary Definition: Scientism". PBS.org. 1999. Archived from the original on 2000-10-11. Retrieved 2022-07-30.
  2. ^ a b Hietanen, Johan; Turunen, Petri; Hirvonen, Ilmari; et al. (July 2020). "How not to criticise scientism". Metaphilosophy. 51 (4): 522–547. doi:10.1111/meta.12443. [Scientism can be divided] into four categories in terms of how strong (science is the only source of knowledge) or weak (science is the best source of knowledge) and how narrow (only natural sciences) or broad (all sciences or at least not only the natural sciences) they are.
  3. ^ "Scientism". Merriam-Webster.com. Merriam-Webster. Retrieved April 6, 2021.