Logophobia: Eric Voegelin on Scientism and the Postmodern Corruption of Politics

[...]horrific events of the twentieth century as mass murder stem from joining moral universalism and modern science. [...]some are tempted to embrace the postmodern rejection of rationally and scientifically derived universal moral standards.6 Voegelin's thought avoids the extremes of both postmodern relativism and modern scientism and provides a penetrating source for understanding the historical and theoretical development of scientism (which he usually calls positivism). According to the tenets of scientism, if human reason is liberated from the constraints of values and properly grounded in scientific method, it is capable of discovering empirical truths instrumental not only to material progress, but to political and social advancement. [...]open discussion is impossible with positivist ideologues because they cannot transcend th,:ir ideological dogmas; they are unwilling to put aside the obstacle to open discuss ion, i.e., the propositions of scientism.