Editor:
Science is one of the greatest intellectual enterprises ever developed. Science is systematized knowledge subjected to rigorous exploration and testing, applied to areas where it has demonstrated value as a body of knowledge and practice for purposes that include obtaining observable, factual, testable explanations for and predictive models of the natural world.
Scientism, on the other hand, is a form of philosophy, not science, and so has many types and classes. The Oxford Dictionary defines scientism as “excessive belief in the power of scientific knowledge and techniques.”
Science has rules, which scientism often violates or exploits for political or other advantage. For some, scientism means their “science” philosophy provides the only genuine knowledge of reality. Increasingly, today politicians use various types of scientism to further their political agendas and confer credibility on their aspirations in the name of what they call “science.”
Scientism often expands science into uncalled-for situations. Health and medicine, for example, comprise networks of true sciences.
But public health is not strictly a science. Along with their innate opinions that political leaders hold arbitrarily, public health also includes inherent ideologies, visionary theories and goals for sociopolitical programs that include social science systems for protection, control and “improvement” of public health and sanitation.
Technocracy is a form of scientism that includes the belief that scientific, technocratic, and political elites should run the world based on their analysis of “evidence.” It also tends to designate as abnormal anyone who is critical of (their brand of) science or technology.
Scientism is powerful and pliable. It has been notoriously morphed and weaponized by tyrannical governments in many nations to brand and exclude citizens who may comprise a minority or who may not agree the regime’s goals and it is used to control all those who are inherently compliant.
For example, in his enormous, marathon rallies in Germany in the 1930s and ’40s, Adolf Hitler repeatedly used many references to the deficient genetics of gypsies and Jews and used scientistic reasons why impaired and handicapped members of society, whom he called “useless eaters,” should be removed from the nation for the good of the nation and the purification and protection of the Aryan gene pool. The logic of the gas ovens of Nazi concentration camps were based on Hitler‘s genetic scientism.
During Hitler’s Germany, all of Germany’s churches were confronted by the Gestapo and collapsed under the threats of the Third Reich. In that time, the Fuhrer became supreme in the same nation where Martin Luther had laid out the principles, four centuries before, that led to the democratic republics we and others enjoy today.
Scientism is a key weapon of the current COVID struggle, globally. If we believe orders based on irresponsible and fraudulent medical propaganda or even malpratice, or out of fear, submit to godless requirements, and believe untruths, we are risking our own destruction at our own hands. In other words, government is not God, despite its claims to supremacy.
We have heard the mantra “follow the science” since March 2020. It was then that public health leaders ordered us to mask up and lock down “fifteen days to stop the spread of COVID.” In March and April 2020, 43 governors issued such orders, directing residents to stay at home and “nonessential businesses” to close in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
Scientism has been parading nakedly in full COVID regalia while people have heard only what they are permitted to hear and see what the mainstream media will permit. The current global cabal capitalizes on scientism to the max.
Over that period, more “COVID suicides” have taken place among American youths ages 15-24 than have died by COVID. CDC research indicates that the percentage of teens – girls in particular – who were hospitalized for suspected suicide attempts spiked in 2020 and 2021, amid COVID lockdowns.
Why? Because the merciless COVID scientism does not countenance “normal” social contacts, free association, established community activities or regular educational development. Isolation and incessant propaganda, separation and isolation of youth by scientism has been providing (fake) “scientific” answers to non-scientific questions. COVID scientism is an enemy of science, health, the economy, society and liberty.
Of course, suicide among youths was not uncommon even prior to COVID, when an American youth died by suicide every six hours. According to a U.C. Davis study reported earlier this year, teen suicide has been on the rise in America since 2007 and is the second-leading cause of death among ages 10 to 24.
But since the advent of the pandemic, we, led by politicians and the (so-called) “science,” have deprived the youngest members of the nation of educational, emotional, and social development opportunities and resources without their (or their parents’) permission or consent for over a year and a half. Why, you ask?
We may try to excuse ourselves by saying we were scared. Like the average German-on-the-street in the 1930s and ’40s, perhaps we believed the argument by (“science”) that if we supported the national cause, that would save us and our families from this menace. The record shows that the steps taken have sacrificed small businesses (by the thousands), our youths’ lives (ages 15-24, by suiciding them) and our unity as an American nation.
Youth, subjected to the social regimen imposed by COVID scientism elites, have not had the benefit of years to develop adequate stress management strategies, especially if they are already addicted to government-sponsored schools, athletics, or other publicly funded mass media and social activities. Fear has been portrayed and propagated on mass media 24/7.
All this raises a question: Is mass subjugation of American citizens the way to “save” America? In dozens of countries throughout the world, minorities are denied basic rights and view themselves as subjugated by their country’s government, army, and police. Domination is the current unrelenting action of the self-appointed scientism leadership. They issue edicts without input. They countenance no opposing views, even from professional medical specialists in this very area of science. In fact, only bureaucratic “public health” scientism experts are permitted to speak.
Sadly, our history provides too many accounts already how politicians have perennially betrayed young Americans by sending them to die on false pretenses. Today, we are witnesses to their serial truth denials, transparent lies and contradictions of scientism.
Under the guise of COVID, Is not this the same today?
Boil the frog is a popular metaphor based on a story about a frog: If you put a frog directly into hot water it will immediately flee. If you put it in temperate water and slowly heat it to a boil, the frog will not escape.
The metaphor is that people may accept negative change that occurs slowly that they would strongly oppose if it occurred suddenly. Many governments have used this methodology for centuries. However, it is not actually true that frogs will not escape being slowly boiled. They invariably tend to jump out at around 77 degrees Fahrenheit.
The story may originate with an 1869 experiment by Friedrich Goltz in which a frog did not jump out of the boiling water. The important detail omitted from the story is that the frog in the experiment had its brain removed.
Moral: Keep your brain engaged.
Pete Ready
Albany