Contrasting Science and Humanities: A Look at Postmodernist Influence

The Distinctive Differences

During a recent gathering of authors at the Brownstone Institute, a compelling observation was made by Brownstone Fellow Thomas Harrington. He highlighted a unique difference between Science and Humanities. Harrington pointed out that Science primarily involves a reductionist approach, while Humanities is more about construction. This intriguing difference was discussed in a forum held at MIT a decade ago, where it was noted that both fields aim to seek understanding and truth, but in distinct ways. Science seeks external truth, while Humanities looks for truth within the inherently ambiguous human beings.

The Rise and Role of Complexity Theory

However, there is a third way that goes beyond the binary choice of reduction or construction. The emergence of Complexity Theory offered a promising bridge between reduction and construction, acknowledging the coexistence and complementary nature of both “truth” and “ambiguity.” The development of Complexity Science is closely tied to The Santa Fe Institute. The concept of “Complexity” is still evolving, but it is often understood as the study of how “the whole is more than the sum of the parts.”

The Impact of Postmodernism

Despite the promise of Complexity Science, its progress was hindered by the influence of Postmodernism, which turned truth into a relative concept. Ideology became the supreme focus, even infiltrating academic centers that were founded on the separation of ideology from knowledge exploration. This shift resulted in a disregard for the essential multicomponent interdependency that Complexity Science emphasized.

The Great Ethical Collapse

This shift led to a significant ethical collapse across various sectors, including Medicine, Science, Government, Academia, Business, and even spiritual leadership. Critical thinking and moral responsibility were abandoned, and “truth” became a relative term. Everything was reduced to ideology. This drive towards Postmodernism resulted in a loss of liberty, medical totalitarianism, and a war against women, among other things.

The Counter-Revolution

However, the successes of the New Left might have planted the seeds of its downfall. Their “revolution” lacked substance, and a counter-revolution could emerge from its failures and shortcomings. The counter-revolution seeks to restore America’s founding principles and guide the common citizen towards what is good.

The Spiritual Battle

The “Why?” behind all these changes is addressed in Naomi Wolf’s book, “Facing the Beast: Courage, Faith and Resistance in a New Dark Age.” She suggests that the elaborate, comprehensive, and cruel construction of the current situation goes beyond human capabilities. She believes we are in a spiritual combat against awe-inspiring levels of darkness and anti-human forces. The object of this spiritual battle seems to be the human soul.

Bottom Line

The discussion on whether the gap between the reductionist mindset of Science and the constructionist approach of Humanities can be bridged through Complexity Theory is currently on hold. This is due to the ideological primacy of Postmodernism, which has poisoned the quest for understanding and truth in both disciplines. Unless we manage to break free from this intellectual whirlpool, we risk sinking deeper into chaos. What are your thoughts on this matter? Do share this article with your friends and join us for the Daily Briefing at 6pm every day.