Atheism and scientism

Scientism is the belief that the scientific method has no (or few) limits and can successfully be applied to almost all aspects of life, and provides an explanation for everything. It is essentially a religion where its followers (Scientists) worship science its rituals, and its results.[1]

A large segment of the atheist population, especially new atheists, hold to ideology of scientism and/or they are science fetishists.[2][3][4] The secular humanist Michael Werner wrote: "For their part, some of the “New Atheists” have edged nearer and even crossed over to scientism in their writings, overvaluing the ability of science to inform and guide us in how to live our secular lives.[5]

William Lane Craig

Scientism has generally had a close relationship with atheism, as atheism and scientism ideologically related to each other. Followers of scientism do not believe in God and therefore use atheism as the base of their religion, and atheists use pseudoscience to support their claims, as well as evidence against God and the Bible.[6]

In addition, many atheists have an inordinate degree of confidence in the consensus opinions of scientists instead of possessing a healthy degree of skepticism.[7]

Strict scientism as a worldview is self-refuting since the scientism cannot be proven to be true through science.[8] For other significant problems with scientism as far as its unworkability, please see William Lane Craig's commentary on scientism entitled Is scientism self-refuting?.

## Atheists, scientism and the limitations of science[edit]

See also: Limitations of science

Atheists who hold to scientism and/or are science fetishists, often fail to have an appreciation for the limitations of science.[9]

## See also[edit]

* Atheism and science

* Atheism and the suppression of science

* List of atheist and agnostic pseudosciences

* The Devil’s Delusion: Atheism and its Scientific Pretensions

* Atheism and naturalistic intelligence

## References[edit]

1. ↑ Ashgate Science and Religion Series
2. ↑
* An Examination of Atheism’s Truth Claims by Robin Schumacher
* Scientific hypocrisy
3. ↑ Dawkins and the Public Understanding of Scientism by Peter S. Williams
4. ↑ New Atheism - Faith and Reason, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
5. ↑ The Danger of Scientism by Michael Werner, TheHumanist.com
6. ↑ http://sntjohnny.com/front/scientism-the-atheists-religion-of-faith/477.html
7. ↑ No skepticism in science
8. ↑ Is scientism self-refuting by William Lane Craig
9. ↑ Where’s the conflict? by Alister McGrath