The Dangerous Rise of Scientism

What is scientism? Science is one of the most powerful tools devised by humankind, but we must distinguish it from the worldview that science is the only true source of knowledge about the world, and that ideas are valid only if they're arrived at through a scientific process.
In this video we examine some of the threats we're facing to our survival; things we've never before faced in our history. We look at the Twin Nuclei problem as described by Eric Weinstein, and the dangers of nuclear technology and gene editing technology. The fundamental question is this: do we have the wisdom to wield these astonishing, and potentially devastating, new technologies?
In order to use science in a responsible way, we have to understand its limits; the things it can and cannot answer. We explore two main limitations of science in this video found in two classic philosophical problems as articulated by David Hume:
1. The problem of induction
2. The is-ought problem
TIMESTAMPS on Scientism
00:00 - Prologue
02:24 - Part One. The Twin Nuclei Problem
04:58 - Part Two. The Problem of Induction
08:23 - Part Two. The Is-Ought Problem
12:34 - Epilogue
#scientism #davidhume

[@ModernIntuitionist]

What are your thoughts on scientism as a worldview? How can we find the wisdom to deal with the unprecedented threats to our existence? If you like this video, you might also enjoy this one, on our tendency to see and recognize patterns in nature: kzbin.info/www/bejne/oYGWqpuvj9iVoKM

[@streetwisepioneers4470]

Absolutely spot on! 🎯

[@ModernIntuitionist]

@@streetwisepioneers4470 Thanks for the comment! And for watching and supporting my work

[@streetwisepioneers4470]

@@ModernIntuitionist it's a pleasure well done!

[@streetwisepioneers4470]

If the Universe is moral/ethical at its very core and conception, those who are willing to benefit from scientism today, will be held accountable and without excuse in the final instance. For the choices they have hidden from themselves, in the choices they have hidden from others, will be made plain and transparent before God and Man! ⚖ 💥

[@TopGamesEntertainment]

Science is limited

[@theobserver9131]

I absolutely love science! But I agree with you. The fault is not with science, it's with people.

[@mycuongnguyen7226]

I've only just stumbled on your channel in the last 2 days and I've pretty much watched every video- some 2-3 times, I'm a super busy person but I just love how you explain things. Keep up the great work!

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Wow, thanks so much My Cuong Nguyen! I'm so grateful to you for your very kind words, and for taking the time to watch and support my work. People like you are the whole reason I do this, and it makes it all worth it. I appreciate you!

[@Consciousness_of_Reality]

​​@@ModernIntuitionistThe only thing in the video I didnt like was when you said that there are "plenty of resources for us to acquire IN THE WESTERN WORLD", as If in the rest of the world there isnt. The problem is that it seens to imply that only there there are actually things and everywhere else is a primitive hellhole where people have to survive with few resources, where there are societies but no civilizations. But actually what you said about the effects of science affects almost all humanity, we can safety generalize and say that humanity is plentiful of resources and are materially prospering much because of science. You ended up implicitly pushing western chauvinism and material supremacy over the rest of the world, that their culture is superior or at least better than anywhere else, which contradicts the non ideological message and nature of the video.

[@achillesunlimited484]

This channel is the best I've ran up on in quite a while. Great videos

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Thanks so much Achilles for taking the time to watch, and support my work, and for leaving such a kind and complimentary comment! I appreciate you

[@bisimedia]

I literally look at your videos to study how they are made. You’re doing a great job. I love your work, it’s amazing.

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Many thanks for your kind words, and for taking the time to watch and comment on my video. From one content creator to another, I appreciate you!

[@NathanHesselman]

I love your videos I just binged them again :) great job my friend I can’t wait to see your next vid.

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Thanks Nathan! You are too awesome my friend

[@211hennessy]

You are doing a great job with the KZbin video..I cant wait till it blows up

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Thank you for taking the time to leave this very kind comment, I appreciate your support and I appreciate you!

[@ReclaimingTruth]

Scientism is the same religion that also has extreme faith in the government.

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Thanks for the comment Reclaimer Gamer! From one content creator to another, I appreciate you

[@arielsaal]

like fascism?

[@UN1VERS3S]

Fundamentalism = God's Word tells this.... Scientism = Scientific Evidence tells.... Both are total sh*t.

[@UN1VERS3S]

Science is for everything physical. Science teaches us how to survive in life. Theology and Philosophy teaches us how to live a flourishing and happy life lived to the full. Science and Religion are non overlapping magisteria. Scientism is very wrong. It's using science as a philosophy and/or religion. Science as a worldview.

[@fuzzfuzz4234]

And corporations.

[@alexjt313]

Wow, great video! You've earnt a long-term sub.

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Thanks so much for supporting my work, and leaving such a kind comment! I appreciate you!

[@LightChannelAction]

Well done!!! So many excellent points presented in such a concise and entertaining way. Barely felt like the video was over 13 minutes long, felt more like 5, which is definitely a compliment haha Science is a tool that has its limitations, and most scientists would tell you the same thing: science can't possibly tell us everything. My wife is a scientist and feels the same way. There's a fundamental need to use our full toolbelt and not just focus on the one tool we've grown comfortable with and have used to great effect in the past. We really need a whole new attitude towards how we view our intuition and the deep roots of our emotions and beliefs. They tell us far more than we realize, and yet we continue to ignore these tools in our toolbelt because scientism has told us that they're not worth a damn. Very grateful that you made this video to help show people their blind-spots when it comes to scientism. It helped me learn a lot as well. Really looking forward to your next video! Like another commenter said, I can't wait until your videos blow up and you get the views you deserve, won't be long now I'm sure!

[@ModernIntuitionist]

So many wonderful insights you've raised here! Thank you for sharing them, and for your compliments and very kind words of encouragement. It really makes my day. I look forward to seeing more content from you as well. From one content creator to another: I appreciate you!

[@Matt_10203]

Science can tell us everything. Everything is math, physics and chemistry.

[@stevenottomanyi154]

"We are now gods, but for the wisdom"--Adam and Eve couldn't have said it better themselves. Or the Serpent, for that matter.

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Thank you for taking the time to leave this wonderful comment Steven, and for watching and supporting me! I appreciate you

[@jesuschristislord7754]

Revelation 2:9 tribe of hypocrisy.

[@bruceclark4754]

Very interesting and informative thanks. You put some difficult ideas in a very clear and comprehensible way😊

[@Nigelzenig]

Such an important topic. One of the difficulties is that scientific truth seeking by means of experiential evidence seems to be the only path to “truth” in the necessarily provisional sense stipulated in the video. It includes experimental testing, collecting and analysing evidence, falsifiability and so on. It seems pretty clear that science is not designed to tell us what to value ultimately but only what to value as a means to what we ultimately care about. The problem for me though is the link: i want to support values, say moral or aesthetic, but i do not want to be forced to say they have nothing to do with evidence and experience or rationality. In other words, how do we defend truth seeking that is nonscientific but not just superstitious or subjective?

[@jamistardust5181]

I'm happy I found this channel. I love it.

[@VK-ds7wv]

Bro, you got potential.. Keep going❤

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Thanks for the comment!

[@Theo-ou3ce]

Magnifique ! Congratulation ! 👏

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Thanks for watching and supporting my work! I appreciate you!

[@iquploads]

Great video

[@lebobelo]

I don't believe that science will prove to help humanity with 100% of our now problems or future ones. just because it did help with some problems in the past, even now. Scientism feels like a faith.

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Thanks for taking the time to watch and share your insights on this, I very much agree!

[@millerstation92]

it's a faith we all profess. or do you not go to a hospital when sick? A true philosopher would sit on his bed debating if "is disease or death really bad?" and die in the process.

[@meganlewis6345]

Great video, excellent points. Honestly, we are in great need of some humility. I have a feeling our Wanderers are waking up and that is on it's way 💖

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Thanks for the comment! That's the kind of positivity I love to see. I appreciate you watching and supporting my work.

[@bradleygossett2620]

Very insightful

[@justmeonthebeach]

Thank you for your videos 🙏.

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Thank you so much for being here and for taking the time to leave such a kind comment! I appreciate your continued support 🙏

[@HermeticallyHermeticThricGreat]

You're channel is the only well rounded channel on KZbin. The number of subscribers don't lie any good idea has a really small following please reach out for I had all this knowledge in my head

[@reinhard5921]

Good job

[@DaveRCollins1]

A quiet visual shout out to Dubai, nice.

[@222Lizzytish]

Thank you for sharing. Awesome valid points. Maybe this should be your full time job?!!!🙏😇

[@ModernIntuitionist]

I appreciate you, Elizabeth! Big love to you and yours

[@222Lizzytish]

@@ModernIntuitionist Thank you! I'll pass that along to my daughter and cats! Same to you and yours as well!!

[@sirluoyi2853]

Thanks!

[@ModernIntuitionist]

You're so welcome, Sir Luoyi! Thank you for watching and supporting my work

[@Google_Censored_Commenter]

A shame this video, and Hume's teachings in general, aren't more widely known.

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Thank you for the very kind comment! I appreciate you

[@Tarz2155]

joe rogan an Farid Zahabi had a mind blowing discussion about this philosophy

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Thanks for the recommendation Abdifatah, I'll check it out!

[@streetwisepioneers4470]

Seeing it for what it is! ✊🏿✊🏻

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Very much appreciated!

[@streetwisepioneers4470]

@@ModernIntuitionist I'm sharing already! ⚖🌍⬆️💥

[@ModernIntuitionist]

@@streetwisepioneers4470You are too kind! Thank you

[@streetwisepioneers4470]

@@ModernIntuitionist kindness has nothing to do with it. You are an exceptional human being! No need to reply, just bask in it and know you are not alone! ✊🏻✊🏿

[@danielarciniegas550]

good vid

[@asiancombination5325]

this is such a good video

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Thank you Asian Combination for taking the time to watch and support my work and for leaving such a kind comment! I appreciate you

[@asiancombination5325]

@@ModernIntuitionist I am currently in the process of writing an essay for uni on how midgley characterises the myth of scientism and your video has been more useful than 20 possible articles

[@ModernIntuitionist]

@@asiancombination5325 Wow, that's amazing to hear, and I'm glad it was helpful. Good luck and best wishes on the essay!

[@asiancombination5325]

@@ModernIntuitionist thank you very much! Actually whilst you are here, I do have a question about the moral values section. Surely to see how things such as discrimination are bad, we need to look into the past to gain knowledge of the horrors it can cause. However, does this not run into the problem of induction where just because we see the pattern we assume it to always be true?

[@ModernIntuitionist]

@@asiancombination5325 I think that's a great argument. It would depend, I think, on which moral/ethical system is being discussed. For example, a Utilitarian who wants to maximize utility (i.e., maximize happiness and minimize suffering) would probably have to look to the past to make empirical conclusions. But for someone like Kant, who argues from the "categorical imperative," I don't think he's making an inductive argument, but an a priori pure reason one.

[@DrewPicklesTheDark]

The "Science can answer what is morally right by maximizing human wellbeing." statement is also fundamentally flawed as it assumes humans know what maximized human wellbeing is. When "maximized wellbeing" is going to vary greatly from culture to culture and person to person. The argument could be made that you can achieve a peak point of maximum wellbeing when you can achieve all bodily needs in regards to food, health, etc. But as soon as you introduce the mind in to the equation you cannot do it anymore short of brainwashing the entire human race to conform to whatever "maximum wellbeing" is to whoever defines it. And even in that case, you will have people who reject the conditioning.

[@simonpetrikov3992]

The greater good has been used to justify atrocities

[@alliemw]

I've always believed science and discovery are fueled by curiosity. If we haven't found an answer, that doesn't mean one or many answers don't exist. If we live by that principle, shouldn't we also refuse any answer based on probability or reduction? Wouldn't that require humans to believe they're perfect, without allowing room for error? That seems like an arrogant, egotistical way to conduct ourselves that will lead directly to our self-destruction.

[@arifkhan-sy1it]

Which mic is good for voice over??

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Hello Arif: I use the Audio Technica ‎AT897, but I started out with a Maono USB microphone which was about $50 USD or so (if you watch my earliest video I am using the cheaper Maono microphone). If you do some research on youtube (which is how I found these microphones) you'll find tons of options, and get a better idea of which one suits your needs in the ways that you are intending to use it. Your needs may be different from mine. I hope that helps!

[@flyingfig12]

If we can transcend from humanism to sentientism .. the world would be soooo much better in soooo many ways.

[@daddymcsnacks_561]

Morales are a tricky business. It's dependent on culture, country, and time period. Today we stand on morale high ground because of our luxury living and alleged enlightenment. (Luxury is loose here in the sense of electricity, water, and food at the ready) Lose all amenities and survive off the land and we'll turn right back into beast in due time. At least that's my thought.

[@saaah707]

11:17 That's exactly the argument John Calhoun made in his famous essay on slavery When these guys wanna do something, they'll find a way to justify it, no matter what

[@robokill387]

11:16 also he assumes that "maximizing human wellbeing" = moral and correct. That's not necessarily true, it's a philosophical assumption that he takes for granted. Also, he doesn't define what he means by "wellbeing" either. That is not as simple a concept as he's assuming. Is it simple happiness? In that case people should engage in complete hedonism, right? Or does experiencing some adversity and struggle lead to better "wellbeing" overall? Are humans actually meant to be happy all the time? Is it good for us long term? Is the "wellbeing" of being ignorant of problems and the struggles of minority groups valid, or should it be challenged? Should people have to suffer at least a little, so they can better feel empathy and spiritual development?

[@mosslandia]

Yes! Yes! And when you dare to question science as the be all and end all of human knowing, you are labeled a Luddite, a weirdo or a religous nut. Keep 'em coming! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@mythrail]

Hume's fork has a performative contradiction in it.

[@karlazeen]

The thing is we know certain actions are wrong based on the effects they produce and how much of an impact they have on one's self and others being mostly unfavorable and negative in almost every aspect, I mean this is scientific thinking isn't it?

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Thanks for watching and leaving a comment! That's a good question. My thoughts on this are: 1. My video is intended as a critique not on science but on scientism. 2. David Hume's point is that we can never logically derive a moral statement from a factual statement. Here's a good article on this: academy4sc.org/video/is-ought-gap-from-facts-to-values/ Take care and all the best

[@karlazeen]

Just to be clear I do think you're correct on most points however I just wanted to clarity that science is a very useful tool for making societal decisions. I mean we've been doing this for years now.

[@ModernIntuitionist]

@@karlazeen I absolutely agree with you on that! Thanks for taking the time to share your perspective.

[@savagebuck8022]

@@karlazeen Just something to think about: Is the constitution pro or against science? Was science ever considered as a tool for creating it? People consider their constitutions "unimpeachable", the absolute "righteous". It is used as a "guide" for society to have liberty and order, and for making decisions too. Same as science. When does one know then, which one to "follow" and why, if ever the two don't meet in between?

[@piglin469]

agreed. Science should not ever touch on morality cause things just get iffy

[@saneleofmargate8785]

Just realised Edward Alrich subscribes to a kind of scientism.😄

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Thanks for the comment! I'm not familiar with Edward Alrich's work, I'll definitely look into it

[@thegreatchickenoverlord5976]

> need to work on finding a solution I mean, we had one, but it was decided that we were smarter than that now and didnt need it

[@millar6070]

The men and women who work in science, Only want to learn, Then there is others who do thing's that are invisible, Practical experience and knowledge within science's are how we learn about the universe and Life. Now within science there are men and women who believe they know better than their counterparts and neighbours and just anyone, These men and women don't have the wisdom but they do have knowledge, wisdom come with age and experience 😔

[@elizabethwinsor5140]

Discrimination isn't wrong - it's profitable.

[@jamistardust5181]

I hate my computer! I spend time making a comment and then it goes someplace else so I lose my comment. Here's a list of things in my comment. 1) Science is only a tool and is inductive reasoning which requires a certain amount of 'Faith" in order to use it. 2) Moral issues and art are outside it's limits. You can use machines to make art, but art is the expression of the artist. 3) Moral issues are based on peoples' beliefs on what is morally "right." 4) The means lead to the ends. It's morally bankrupt to believe that ends justify the means. I wrote a poem called "Leap OF Faith" where I talk about it. At the end I talk about our primate brains and segue into primate features, opposable thumbs and stereo vision which were adaptions for living in trees. I ended with The first time a primate jumped from one branch to another, that it was the first "leap of faith."

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Thank you for taking the time to leave such a wonderful, and thoughtful comment, Jami! I truly appreciate you PS. I totally relate to your computer issues, it is an endless battle with technology

[@HermeticallyHermeticThricGreat]

Best video on KZbin. And is it ironic that I can help? Please reach out before it is too late

[@theobserver9131]

One of the most useless debates that I see happening all the time is the debate between theism and scientism. Believers in God insisting that God is an irrefutable fact, and believers in science insisting that as a matter of fact there is no god. Neither side can prove it's point. The most rational position in that debate is agnosticism.

[@theobserver9131]

Humans seem to have a violent aversion to uncertainty. People hate to say "I don't know". I think people would be better off learning to be at peace with uncertainty.

[@chapter404th]

@@theobserver9131 I disagree. The most rational position is clearly theism. Everything in this universe points to a Supreme Being. Even so called “agnostics” who say “I don’t know”, when shown reasonable arguments toward God, they dismiss it and would rather stay willfully ignorant.

[@theobserver9131]

@@chapter404th sorry, I must have an old dictionary. Rational and reasonable have different definitions in my dictionary.

[@robokill387]

@@chapter404th I disagree, everything in this universe points to there being no evidence of control or design, although I can't definitively prove either way.

[@chapter404th]

@@robokill387 natural law, moral law, DNA, all point back to an Intelligent Mind

[@CrudeArc]

You sound like Sam Harris

[@nsp74]

most atheists like Richard Dawkins, Peter Atkins hold to this view of scientism.

[@seanmoran2743]

Was the covid panic Scienctism 🤔

[@joannchamness6995]

Duh.

[@seanmoran2743]

C S Lewis The Magicians Twin and The Abolition of Man

[@gtranquilla]

Adding a reference from Scientific American undermines the credibility of a portion of this video. The new generation of execs and staff steering Scientific American are profoundly different and far too often completely wrong.

[@Abrpatel]

You might enjoy watching this video: wisecrack fullmetal alchemist. Touches on your ideas here but applied to a fictional animated tv show.

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Thanks for the comment and recommendation! I will definitely check it out. I'm looking forward to more of your content, my friend!

[@Abrpatel]

@@ModernIntuitionist Thanks! Recording the audio for both of my next two videos today.

[@ModernIntuitionist]

@@Abrpatel Excellent!

[@jesuschristislord7754]

Evolution is scientism.

[@Matt_10203]

Explain why humans have tailbones then. Did god have a tail too? Didn’t think so

[@jesuschristislord7754]

@@Matt_10203 humans don't have tailbones. Do some actual research past the word tailbone.

[@KingPingviini]

​​​@@Matt_10203To balance us, when we sit down. It has purpose, and it's not leftover. Correct word is coccyx.

[@mourady.650]

"I'll see you in the next video" is not scientific

[@Archeidos-Arcana]

All Sam Harris had to do was read Plato's Euthyphro, and he could have (hopefully) seen the absurdity of the claim that science can solve moral problems. I sometimes don't understand how certain public intellectuals are able to get to such heights of repute.

[@Hussienberkznuts_420]

For those wondering science is not a religion by any means or if u believe or disbelief in it, it's all fine science is a type of research and source of knowledge that's used to answer all of mans big questions and regulationise tech society and all sorts of things.

[@Matt_10203]

Yes. Science is a process not some monolithic concept.

[@yokiryuchan7655]

@@Matt_10203 agreed science is simply a study of process. however certain ideologues are trying to turn it into a religion.

[@jackharle1251]

Sam is not to be trusted.

[@Rorschach2012]

That false dilemma was more infantile than the alarmist bs that is the entire video.

[@ModernIntuitionist]

Thanks for the comment Erik. This is a video I would actually love to be wrong about. Could you explain: 1. What you believe the false dilemma is in the video, and your reasoning behind it? 2. Why you believe it is "alarmist," since many scientists do believe we are facing urgent existential threats to our existence. That would provide a nice counterpoint and perspective to my video for anyone else who stumbles across these comments, instead of the assertions being made without argument. Thanks and have a nice day!

[@ModernIntuitionist]

@@millerstation92 Hello Rodrigo. Thank you for the comment. Just a few points: 1. My video is not intended to argue that existence is a good thing. That’s a completely separate and huge topic on its own, which many people have written entire books on, and is not within the scope of my 13 minute video, which deals specifically with scientism. I do happen to believe human existence is a good thing, but not everyone agrees. They might subscribe to a perspective known as anti-natalism for instance, which I personally disagree with, but either way, I don’t believe it's relevant to the thesis of my video. 2. I don’t agree with your statement that philosophy can only provide questions and not answers. Philosophy is indeed primarily concerned with the study of fundamental questions and reasoning, but a philosopher such as Rene Descartes did provide an answer to the question “what is beyond doubt?” with his answer “I think therefore I exist” (i.e., the famous “cogito ergo sum” statement). He famously argued that you cannot doubt your own existence. You might disagree with his answer (and some people actually have), but he does provide one, and virtually everyone would agree that he is a “true philosopher.” 3. I won’t comment on the rest of what you’ve said because, it strays quite far from the topic and purpose of my video, which is a critique of scientism as a worldview and ideology. As I’ve said in my video (and a few times in the comments), I am not criticizing science as a method of investigating nature. Science and scientism are distinct things. I will say that science and philosophy are not at odds with each other. That, I think, is actually the false dilemma implicit in many of the comments I’m receiving from critics of this video. Science and philosophy are both powerful tools and we should use them both. Philosophical methods such as questioning, rational argument, and logic are essential to the scientific method. Both philosophy and science provide processes that inform each other. They are not mutually exclusive. I hope that helps. Thanks and have a nice day!

[@Matt_10203]

@@ModernIntuitionist the use of “Scientism” as a pseudo-religious concept is ridiculous and stems directly from anti-intellectualism which is growing larger by the day. The existential threats we face will be solved through science, not by avoiding it.

[@frosted1030]

LOL No, just... what?! LOL

[@jonsegerros]

What atrocities?