Definitions by Dumu The Void

Neuroscientific Orthodoxy

The established, institutionalized set of beliefs and practices that define mainstream neuroscience—the often-unexamined assumptions about how to study the brain, what questions are worth asking, what methods are legitimate, and how findings should be interpreted. Neuroscientific orthodoxy includes commitments: that localization of function is the goal, that brain imaging is the gold standard, that animal models reveal human brain function, that neural correlates are the path to understanding, that reductionism is progress, that more data is always better, that neuroscience will eventually explain consciousness. Like all orthodoxies, it provides a research program and community identity, but it functions as gatekeeping—determining who gets funded, what gets published, which careers advance, and what questions are worth asking. Neuroscientific orthodoxy shapes not just what we know about brains but what we think it's possible to know, making certain approaches seem scientific and others "philosophical" or "unscientific."

Example: "Her research on consciousness was dismissed as 'not real neuroscience' because it didn't use imaging—neuroscientific orthodoxy, where method defines the field rather than questions. The orthodoxy's power is making its tools feel like the only tools."

Neuroscientific Orthodoxy by Dumu The Void March 17, 2026

Neuro-Orthodoxy

The established, institutionalized set of beliefs about the brain that dominate neuroscience and public discourse—the often-unexamined assumptions that brains explain everything about mind, that brain imaging reveals thought, that neural correlates are causes, that brain differences explain social phenomena, that neuroscience is the ultimate authority on human nature. Neuro-orthodoxy includes commitments: that complex human experiences reduce to brain activity, that fMRI shows what people think and feel, that brain differences between groups explain social inequalities, that neuroscience will eventually answer all questions about mind, that neuro-talk is inherently more scientific than psychological or social explanation. Like all orthodoxies, it provides a framework for understanding, but it functions as ideology—making brain reductionism seem like the only rigorous approach, obscuring the limits of neuroimaging and neuro-explanation, and delegitimizing other ways of understanding human experience. Neuro-orthodoxy determines what research is funded, what explanations are taken seriously, and who counts as "scientifically literate" versus "naive" about the brain.

Example: "He explained every human phenomenon in terms of brain activity—love, politics, art, meaning—as if neural correlates were explanations. Neuro-orthodoxy had made reductionism feel like depth."

Neuro-Orthodoxy by Dumu The Void March 17, 2026

Cognitive Orthodoxy

The established, institutionalized set of beliefs about cognition that dominate psychology, neuroscience, and public discourse—the often-unexamined assumptions about how thinking works, what minds are, and how cognition should be studied and understood. Cognitive orthodoxy includes commitments: that cognition happens in individual brains, that thinking can be modeled as information processing, that cognitive processes are universal, that brains are the right level of analysis, that cognition is separate from emotion and body, that laboratory studies reveal how thinking works, that cognitive science is the best framework for understanding mind. Like all orthodoxies, it provides a framework for research and understanding, but it functions as ideology—making particular conceptions of mind seem natural and inevitable, obscuring alternative frameworks (embodied, embedded, extended, enactive), and delegitimizing approaches that question cognitive orthodoxy's assumptions. Cognitive orthodoxy determines what research is funded, what theories are taught, and who counts as "scientific" versus "unscientific" in the study of mind.

Example: "She suggested that cognition might extend beyond the brain—into body, tools, and environment—and was dismissed as 'not real cognitive science.' Cognitive orthodoxy had made its boundaries feel like the boundaries of legitimate inquiry."

Cognitive Orthodoxy by Dumu The Void March 17, 2026

Orthodoxy of Debunking

The established, institutionalized set of beliefs and practices that define mainstream debunking culture—the often-unexamined assumptions about what deserves debunking, what methods are appropriate, what counts as success, and how debunkers should relate to believers. Orthodoxy of debunking includes commitments: that pseudoscience and conspiracy theories must be actively opposed, that ridicule is an effective tool, that believers are irrational or deceived, that debunkers are rational and objective, that debunking serves truth, that debunking is inherently virtuous, that skepticism means doubt rather than openness. Like all orthodoxies, it provides identity and purpose for debunking communities, but it can become dogmatic—applying debunking selectively, treating debunkers' own assumptions as beyond question, and marginalizing those who question debunking methods or ethics. The orthodoxy of debunking determines what targets are "worthy," what methods are "legitimate," and who counts as a "real skeptic" versus a "pseudoskeptic" or "apologist."

Example: "He mocked believers rather than engaging their concerns—and called it debunking. Orthodoxy of debunking had made ridicule feel like rationality, as long as it was directed at the right targets."

Orthodoxy of Debunking by Dumu The Void March 17, 2026

Proof Orthodoxy

The established, institutionalized set of beliefs about proof that dominate science, law, and public discourse—the often-unexamined assumptions about what counts as proof, how proof should be established, what standards are appropriate in different contexts, and how proof relates to certainty. Proof orthodoxy includes commitments: that scientific proof requires replication, that legal proof requires evidence beyond reasonable doubt, that mathematical proof requires deduction from axioms, that proof is objective and universal, that claims without proof can be dismissed, that some domains (religion, ethics) lack proof and therefore lack truth. Like all orthodoxies, it provides standards for establishing claims, but it functions as ideology—making particular conceptions of proof seem like the only conceptions, obscuring how proof standards vary across contexts and cultures, and delegitimizing ways of knowing that don't fit (experiential knowledge, revealed truth, embodied understanding). Proof orthodoxy determines what claims are considered "proven," what arguments are "demonstrated," and who counts as "rigorous" versus "unsupported."

Example: "He demanded proof for her experience of discrimination—as if her testimony couldn't count. Proof orthodoxy had made him believe that only certain kinds of evidence are real evidence."

Proof Orthodoxy by Dumu The Void March 17, 2026

Evidence Orthodoxy

The established, institutionalized set of beliefs about evidence that dominate scientific and public discourse—the often-unexamined assumptions about what counts as evidence, how evidence should be gathered, what kinds of evidence are reliable, and how evidence relates to truth. Evidence orthodoxy includes commitments: that quantitative evidence is superior to qualitative, that randomized controlled trials are the gold standard, that peer review guarantees quality, that more evidence is always better, that evidence speaks for itself, that evidence-based policy is value-neutral, that some forms of evidence (anecdote, experience, tradition) are worthless. Like all orthodoxies, it provides standards for inquiry, but it functions as ideology—making particular evidentiary hierarchies seem natural and universal, obscuring how evidence is always interpreted through frameworks, and delegitimizing ways of knowing that don't fit the orthodoxy. Evidence orthodoxy determines what research is funded, what claims are taken seriously, and who counts as "evidence-based" versus "anecdotal."

Example: "She presented decades of community experience, and they dismissed it as 'just anecdotes'—evidence orthodoxy, where one kind of knowing is treated as the only kind. The orthodoxy's power is making experience invisible by calling it something else."

Evidence Orthodoxy by Dumu The Void March 17, 2026

Language Orthodoxy

The established, institutionalized set of beliefs about language itself—the often-unexamined assumptions that language represents reality, that words have fixed meanings, that communication is transparent, that some languages are more advanced than others, that monolingualism is normal, that translation is straightforward, that language is primarily about reference rather than relationship, power, or identity. Language orthodoxy includes commitments: that meaning resides in words rather than use, that dictionaries define rather than record, that some languages are "primitive" while others are "sophisticated," that language is a tool rather than a world. Like all orthodoxies, it provides a framework for understanding language, but it functions as ideology—making particular linguistic assumptions seem universal, obscuring how language actually works (context-dependent, power-laden, identity-constituting), and delegitimizing alternative understandings (indigenous philosophies of language, post-structuralist linguistics, multilingual perspectives). Language orthodoxy determines what counts as "proper" language use, what linguistic practices are "valid," and who counts as "linguistically competent."

Example: "He insisted that words have one true meaning—not because he'd studied linguistics, but because language orthodoxy had made fixed reference feel like common sense. The orthodoxy's power is making a theory of language feel like language itself."

Language Orthodoxy by Dumu The Void March 17, 2026