Scientism is not the same as science

Science is a systematic method of inquiry based on empirical evidence, experimentation, and falsifiability, aimed at understanding natural phenomena. Scientism, by contrast, is a philosophical position or attitude that elevates science to the exclusive or supreme source of knowledge and truth, often dismissing other forms of understanding such as philosophy, ethics, or the humanities. This distinction is important because while science relies on evidence and methodological rigor, scientism can involve an ideological commitment that goes beyond what science can legitimately claim.

Many scholars and commentators emphasize that scientism is not synonymous with science; rather, it is a worldview or belief system that can undermine the broader intellectual foundations upon which science itself depends. Thus, conflating scientism with science misrepresents both the nature of scientific inquiry and the limits of scientific knowledge.