Re: Science, Psuedoscience, and Social "Science"

Adrian Tanner (atanner@MORGAN.UCS.MUN.CA)
Thu, 20 Oct 1994 10:49:26 -0230

On Wed, 19 Oct 1994, David DeGusta wrote:

> In the future, let's leave physicists out of this, since
> (presumably) none are here on Anthro-L to answer your "question." As a
> biological anthropologist, I'd say that people who think science is "as
> much a culturally and socially embedded practice as any other" are ignorant
> of the scientific method and the history of science.
>
[I will not comment on the rest of the post]

Well, we could quibble about "as much", but if you are not aware that
there is a great deal of research in the philosophy of science, not to
mention the sociology of knowledge, which challenges the 'culture free'
assumptions of science, then you are just a tiny bit ignorant about the
scientific method and the history of science. You may well not agree with
the conclusions of this research, but how about a little less of the tone
of an ex cathedra pronouncement to the great unwashed?

Adrian Tanner, Memorial University.