• Origins: The origins of this postmodern cult can be traced back to the early 20th century, when a group of intellectuals began to question the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason and scientific inquiry. These intellectuals argued that reason was not the only way to understand the world, and that there were other ways of knowing, such as intuition and emotion. They also argued that science was not the only way to solve problems, and that there were other ways of solving problems, such as art and religion.
• Development: This postmodern cult developed over the course of the 20th century, as more and more intellectuals began to question the Enlightenment's emphasis on reason and scientific inquiry. This cult eventually spread to academia, where it became a major force in the humanities and social sciences. Today, this postmodern cult is still a major force in academia, and it has also spread to other areas of society, such as the media and the arts.
• Characteristics: This postmodern cult is characterized by a number of beliefs, including the following:
  • The belief that there is no such thing as objective truth.
  • The belief that all knowledge is subjective and relative.
  • The belief that science is not the only way to understand the world.
  • The belief that there are other ways of knowing, such as intuition and emotion.
  • The belief that there are other ways of solving problems, such as art and religion.
• Impact: This postmodern cult has had a significant impact on society. It has led to a decline in faith in reason and science, and it has contributed to the rise of irrationalism and superstition. This cult has also made it more difficult to solve problems, because it has made it more difficult to agree on what the facts are and what the best course of action is.
• Conclusion: This postmodern cult is a serious threat to society. It is undermining our faith in reason and science, and it is making it more difficult to solve problems. We need to be aware of this cult and its dangers, and we need to take steps to counter its influence.

Little known outside his native Australia, David Stove was one of the most illuminating and brilliant philosophical essayists of his era. A fearless attacker of intellectual and cultural orthodoxies, Stove left powerful critiques of scientific irrationalism, Darwinian theories of human behavior, and philosophical idealism.Since its inception in the 1940s, the field of science studies, originally intended to bridge the gap between science and the humanities, has been the center of controversy and debate. The most notable figures in this debate are Thomas Kuhn and Karl Popper. In Scientific Irrationalism, now available in paperback, David Stove demonstrates how extravagant has been the verbiage wasted on this issue and how irrational the combatants have been. He shows that Kuhn and Popper share considerable common ground. Stove argues that the problems all reside in the reasoning of the critics. He identifies the logical mistakes and conceptual allusions made by Kuhn and Popper and their supporters, as well as their collective dependency on a single argument made by the philosopher of the Scottish Enlightenment, David Hume. He then demonstrates how little potency that argument actually has for the claims of science.In his foreword, Keith Windschuttle explains the debate surrounding the field of science studies and explores David Stove's contribution as well as his lack of recognition. In an afterword, James Franklin discusses reactions to Stove's work.

Author: Stove, David
Publisher: Routledge
Illustration: N
Language: ENG
Title: Scientific Irrationalism: Origins of a Postmodern Cult
Pages: 00226 (Encrypted PDF)
On Sale: 2017-07-28
SKU-13/ISBN: 9781412806466
Category: Science : Philosophy & Social Aspects