Citation

Schöttler P. Rev. Synth. 2013; 134(1): 89-113.

Vernacular Title

Scientisme sur L'histoire D'un Concept Difficile Szientismus. Zur Geschichte Eines Schwierigen Begriffs Scientismo. Cenni Alla Storia di un Concetto Complesso.

Affiliation

Centre Marc Bloch, Friedrichstr. 191, D-10117, Berlin, Germany, peter.schoettler@ihtp.cnrs.fr.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2013, Holtzbrinck Springer Nature Publishing Group)

DOI

10.1007/s11873-013-0212-4

PMID

23636786

Abstract

Today "scientism" is a pejorative concept in every language. But isn't that just a projection made in order to exploit the fear of "science"? The article develops the argument that scientism is a historical current which can be analyzed in a concrete way. It shows that the word goes back to the 19(th) century and got its negative emphasis when "scientific" spiritism on the one hand and Catholicism on the other were struggling against the "exaggerated" claims of natural science.

Language: fr