An Evaluation of Scientism through Epistemic Certainty

Abstract

Scientism is a philosophical approach in which it is argued that meth-ods of natural sciences should be used in different disciplines. Scientism is a methodological attitude and includes ontological presuppositions. However, the beginning of the scientistic argument is the point of formation of epistemic be-liefs, and therefore it is reasonable for an evaluation and criticism of scientism to begin with epistemology. Because scientism is an epistemological claim as an answer to the question of the basis of a belief. The epistemic principle of scien-tism is that knowledge is only scientific. Then one presupposes that the truth can only be reached through natural sciences. However, the relationship between the phenomenal world and the human mind has been shaped by philosophical assumptions and concepts. Contrary to necessary propositions scientific propo-sitions do not seem to be necessary truths. In this study, the epistemic principle of scientism is criticized by considering epistemic certainty