Definitions

from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.

  • noun The collection of attitudes and practices considered typical of scientists.
  • noun The belief that the investigative methods of the physical sciences are applicable or justifiable in all fields of inquiry.

from The Century Dictionary.

  • noun The views, tendency, or practice of scientists.

from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.

  • noun The often dogmatic belief that science is the only source of knowledge.
  • noun The belief that the assumptions, methods of research, etc. of the physical and biological sciences are equally appropriate and essential in all other disciplines including the humanities and the social sciences.

Etymologies

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Examples

  • Bruce Henricksen's succinct remarks about the origins of what I call scientism are very important.

    Rescuing Literature: An Exchange Albert, Steven M. 1980

  • Therefore, adherence to scientism is merely cover for the lust for power, just as adherence to the religion of evolution is merely cover for amorality.

    Bukiet on Brooklyn Books Hal Duncan 2009

  • And just as scientism is merely another metaphysics with no more claim than any other, the religion of evolution has no more claim than any other.

    Bukiet on Brooklyn Books Hal Duncan 2009

  • As scientism is just metaphysics too arrogant to call itself by its right name, evolution is just another nontheistic religion.

    Bukiet on Brooklyn Books Hal Duncan 2009

  • As scientism is just metaphysics too arrogant to call itself by its right name, evolution is just another nontheistic religion.

    Bukiet on Brooklyn Books Hal Duncan 2009

  • And just as scientism is merely another metaphysics with no more claim than any other, the religion of evolution has no more claim than any other.

    Bukiet on Brooklyn Books Hal Duncan 2009

  • The vacuousness of scientism is indicated by those who take organic chemistry well beyond where knowledge is supportive and attempt to make it indicate something about how life came to be without the evidence to back it up.

    Are Changes Brewing and How Does the Mind Fit In? 2008

  • Science designed itself to be provisional, so scientism is a crappy philosophy too.

    Dark Matter Can Enlighten Minds 2008

  • The vacuousness of scientism is indicated by those who take organic chemistry well beyond where knowledge is supportive and attempt to make it indicate something about how life came to be without the evidence to back it up.

    Are Changes Brewing and How Does the Mind Fit In? 2008

  • What the Romantics opposed is what today would be called scientism, which is out to destroy the wonder of the world by making everything turn out to be nothing important.

    Unweaving the Rainbow 2005

Comments

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  • Competitive pumpkiners know

    The road to blue ribbon is slow.

    Accomplish your giantism

    With patience and scientism

    And pray that the monster will grow.

    November 16, 2016