CAN SCIENCE HOLD ALL THE ANSWERS?

Kittie Helmick revisits the thinkers who challenged the scientific method’s claims to have a monopoly on the truth and offer privileged access to reality

MEASURABILITY, REPRODUCIBILITY, independent verification, accurate predictions — these are the criteria that have elevated scientific experimentation to the arbiter of truth in modern society. Besides the long and impressive history of accomplishments and discoveries attributed to these standards, they possess the advantage of an imaginative appeal. Instinctively we associate numbers, repetition and unanimity with objectivity, certainty and permanence. Humanity is fallible, arbitrary and transient, but the mechanical and the impersonal offer us a grip on reality. In our polarised and relativistic age, it is a relief to affirm a field of knowledge as indisputably trustworthy and authoritative. When a sudden crisis — such as the Covid-19 outbreak — compels us to take joint action, it is a necessity. We may splinter in our ideals and habits, but so long as we…

You're reading a preview of

The Critic (Digital) - 1 Issue, November 2022

DiscountMags is a licensed distributor (not a publisher) of the above content and Publication through Zinio LLC. Accordingly, we have no editorial control over the Publications. Any opinions, advice, statements, services, offers or other information or content expressed or made available by third parties, including those made in Publications offered on our website, are those of the respective author(s) or publisher(s) and not of DiscountMags. DiscountMags does not guarantee the accuracy, completeness, truthfulness, or usefulness of all or any portion of any publication or any services or offers made by third parties, nor will we be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on information contained in any Publication, or your use of services offered, or your acceptance of any offers made through the Service or the Publications. For content removal requests, please contact Zinio.