Definitions by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal

Empirification

The reduction of all knowledge claims to empirical evidence, specifically to what can be observed, measured, or experimented upon. Empirification dismisses a priori reasoning, logical deduction, conceptual analysis, and intuitive knowledge as unreliable or meaningless. It is common in radical empiricist and positivist circles. Critics argue that empirification is self‑undermining: the principle itself cannot be empirically proven; it is a philosophical stance. Moreover, much of science itself relies on non‑empirical assumptions (e.g., uniformity of nature). Empirification turns a useful methodology into a dogmatic ontology.

Empirification Example: “The empirifier demanded ‘Show me the data’ for the claim that torture is wrong. He couldn’t see that moral truths are not empirical, and his demand was a category error.”

Empirification by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal June 6, 2026

Scientisticomania

A compound of scientism and mania, describing an obsessive, fanatical commitment to the ideology that science is the only source of truth, and that any departure from scientific materialism is not just mistaken but morally corrupt. Scientisticomania manifests in aggressive online debates, where opponents are called “denialists,” “relativists,” or “pseudoscientists” for questioning reductionist dogmas. It is marked by a refusal to engage with philosophical critiques of science. Critics argue that scientisticomania is a secular religion, complete with dogmas, heresies, and inquisitions.

Scientisticomania Example: “The scientisticomaniac demanded that any discussion of consciousness must be grounded in fMRI data. When a philosopher raised the hard problem, he was dismissed as ‘a mystic.’ The discussion ended.”

Scientisticomania by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal June 6, 2026

Scientistification

The act of elevating scientists to the role of ultimate epistemic authorities, not just in their domains of expertise but on any topic, including philosophy, politics, and ethics. Scientistification treats a physicist’s opinion on politics as more valid than a political scientist’s, because physics is “harder.” It is common in media, where “scientist says” is used to settle debates. Critics argue that expertise is domain‑specific; a Nobel laureate in chemistry has no special authority on monetary policy. Scientistification is a form of credentialism that confuses prestige with relevance.

Scientistification Example: “The journalist quoted a biologist on the ethics of gene editing, ignoring decades of bioethics scholarship. Scientistification: assuming that a lab coat confers wisdom on all matters.”

Scientistification by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal June 6, 2026

Scientomania

An extreme, dogmatic version of scientification, where science is elevated to the sole legitimate path to knowledge, and any non‑scientific claim is dismissed as worthless or irrational. Scientomania is characterized by aggressive proselytism, contempt for philosophy and humanities, and the belief that science will eventually answer all questions (including moral and existential ones). It is common in online neo‑atheist and rationalist communities. Critics argue that scientomania is self‑refuting: the claim that “only science produces knowledge” cannot itself be proven by science. It is a faith, not a fact.

Scientomania Example: “The scientomaniac shouted, ‘Science has proven that free will is an illusion!’ When asked for the study, he cited a pop‑science article. He never noticed that his own belief in science was a non‑scientific commitment.”

Scientomania by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal June 6, 2026

Scientification

The act of redefining any domain of knowledge, practice, or experience as a scientific problem, subject to scientific methods, and ultimately explainable by science. Scientification includes turning ethics into neuroethics (brain scans for moral decisions), aesthetics into neuroaesthetics (fMRI of art appreciation), and politics into policy science (data‑driven governance). While some domains benefit from scientific input, scientification claims that science should replace non‑scientific approaches entirely. Critics argue it is a form of epistemic imperialism that devalues philosophy, art, and lived experience. Scientification is the operational arm of scientism.

Scientification Example: “The scientification of love treats dating as an optimization problem: apps use algorithms, not romance. The poetry of courtship is replaced by matching scores. Something is lost.”

Scientification by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal June 6, 2026

Synapsomania

A radical variant of synapsization, where synapses are treated not only as the basis of mind but as the exclusive, sufficient explanation for every human phenomenon. Synapsomania holds that changing synapses would change everything: memory, personality, beliefs, even values. It is common in transhumanist and neuro‑libertarian circles, where synaptic rewiring is seen as the path to self‑improvement and social engineering. Critics argue that synapsomania ignores the role of environment, culture, and personal history. It also fails to explain how synapses got their meaning in the first place.

Synapsomania Example: “The synapsomaniac proposed that crime could be eliminated by ‘synaptic pruning of aggressive pathways.’ He ignored poverty, inequality, and trauma as causes, reducing justice to wiring.”

Synapsomania by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal June 6, 2026

Synapsization

The reductive practice of explaining all mental phenomena—thoughts, memories, emotions, decisions, creativity, consciousness—as mere synaptic activity. Synapsization reduces the entire person to the firing of connections between neurons, ignoring brain regions, networks, neurotransmitters, and the embodied, social, and cultural context. Common in pop‑neuroscience and reductionist AI circles, it treats the synapse as the fundamental unit of mind. Critics argue that synapsization commits a category error: synapses are necessary for mental life, but they are not the whole story, any more than bricks are a house. It also ignores that synaptic activity is itself regulated by larger systems.

Example: “The synapsization fanatic claimed that ‘your love for your child is just strengthened synapses in the nucleus accumbens.’ He reduced a lifetime of care, sacrifice, and relationship to a connection between two cells.”

Synapsization by Abzugal Nammugal Enkigal June 6, 2026