Sociology of Antitheistic Orthodoxy

A branch of sociology that examines how antitheistic orthodoxies are socially constructed, maintained, and challenged—focusing on the communities, institutions, and dynamics that shape what counts as proper antitheism. The sociology of antitheistic orthodoxy investigates how antitheist consensus forms through shared narratives (the evils of religion, the crimes of faith), how orthodoxy is maintained through community policing (excluding those who question the narrative), how antitheist institutions (organizations, media, conferences) create and enforce boundaries, and how the movement responds to challenges from within and without. It also examines the role of identity in antitheist orthodoxy—how opposition to religion becomes central to members' sense of self, making deviation feel like betrayal. The sociology of antitheistic orthodoxy reveals that antitheism, despite its claims to rationality, is shaped by the same social forces as any other movement: community, identity, and the need to belong.

Example: "Her sociology of antitheistic orthodoxy research showed how the movement's origin stories—tales of escape from religious oppression—function like conversion narratives in religions, creating shared identity and binding members to the community's orthodoxy. The content is different, but the social function is the same."

by Abzugal March 16, 2026

Sociology of Materialistic Orthodoxy

A branch of sociology that examines how materialistic orthodoxies are socially constructed, maintained, and challenged within scientific and philosophical communities. The sociology of materialistic orthodoxy investigates how materialism becomes the default position through scientific training, how it's maintained through institutional mechanisms (funding priorities, publication standards, hiring practices), how dissenters are marginalized or excluded, and how the orthodoxy responds to challenges from dualists, idealists, and other heretics. It also examines the role of materialism as a boundary marker—distinguishing "real" science from "pseudoscience," "serious" philosophy from "woo." The sociology of materialistic orthodoxy reveals that materialism's dominance isn't just about evidence; it's also about social power, institutional authority, and the natural human tendency to treat one's own assumptions as obviously true.

Example: "Her sociology of materialistic orthodoxy research showed how philosophy departments that questioned materialism were systematically excluded from prestige networks—not because their arguments were weak, but because they violated the orthodoxy that defined 'serious' philosophy. The social enforcement was invisible to those who benefited from it."

by Abzugal March 16, 2026

Sociology of Naturalistic Orthodoxy

A branch of sociology that examines how naturalistic orthodoxies are socially constructed, maintained, and challenged within academic and intellectual communities. The sociology of naturalistic orthodoxy investigates how naturalism becomes the default worldview through education and training, how it's maintained through institutional mechanisms (funding priorities, publication standards, professional boundaries), how dissenters (intellectuals who appeal to supernatural or non-natural explanations) are marginalized or excluded, and how the orthodoxy responds to challenges from religious thinkers, postmodernists, and other heretics. It also examines naturalism as a boundary marker—distinguishing "serious" scholarship from "faith-based" thinking, "real" knowledge from "mere belief." The sociology of naturalistic orthodoxy reveals that naturalism's dominance isn't just about evidence; it's also about social power, institutional authority, and the natural human tendency to treat one's own worldview as simply "how things are."

Example: "Her sociology of naturalistic orthodoxy research showed how scholars who questioned naturalism were systematically excluded from prestigious journals and conferences—not because their arguments were weak, but because they violated the orthodoxy that defined 'serious' scholarship. The boundary policing was invisible to those who benefited from it."

by Abzugal March 16, 2026

Sociology of Evidence-Based Orthodoxy

A branch of sociology that examines how evidence-based orthodoxies are socially constructed, maintained, and challenged within professional communities. The sociology of evidence-based orthodoxy investigates how evidentiary hierarchies become institutionalized through training, how they're maintained through professional standards and funding priorities, how alternative approaches (qualitative research, community knowledge, practitioner experience) are marginalized, and how the orthodoxy responds to challenges from those who question its hierarchy. It also examines the role of evidence-based orthodoxy in professional boundary-work—distinguishing "real" professionals from "quacks," "scientific" practice from "anecdotal" approaches, "legitimate" knowledge from "mere" experience. The sociology of evidence-based orthodoxy reveals that evidentiary hierarchies aren't just about epistemology; they're also about professional power, institutional authority, and the social construction of expertise.

Example: "Her sociology of evidence-based orthodoxy research showed how the hierarchy of evidence serves professional interests—elevating researchers over practitioners, quantitative over qualitative expertise, academic knowledge over community wisdom. The hierarchy isn't just about truth; it's about who gets to say what counts."

by Abzugal March 16, 2026

Sociology of Orthodoxy

A branch of sociology that examines how orthodoxies are socially constructed, maintained, challenged, and transformed across different domains—religious, scientific, political, cultural. The sociology of orthodoxy investigates the social dynamics that produce and sustain consensus: how communities form around shared beliefs, how institutions enforce orthodoxy through rewards and sanctions, how dissenters are marginalized or incorporated, how orthodoxies shift through generational change and external pressure. It examines the role of power, status, and authority in shaping who gets to define orthodoxy; the relationship between orthodoxy and social identity (how belonging to an orthodox community becomes part of who we are); and the ways that orthodoxies persist through social inertia even when evidence shifts. The sociology of orthodoxy reveals that what counts as "settled truth" is never just a matter of evidence—it's always also a matter of social agreement, institutional power, and community dynamics.

Example: "Her sociology of orthodoxy research showed how scientific consensus forms through the same social processes as religious orthodoxy—networks of trust, authority of elders, rituals of confirmation, exclusion of heretics. The content differs, but the social dynamics are remarkably similar."

by Dumu The Void March 17, 2026

Sociology of the Scientific Method

A branch of sociology that examines how the scientific method is socially constructed, maintained, and practiced within scientific communities—focusing on the institutions, norms, power relations, and social dynamics that shape what counts as proper method. The sociology of the scientific method investigates how methods are taught and transmitted, how methodological standards are enforced, how methodological disputes are resolved, how status and authority influence which methods are valued, and how the method varies across different scientific communities and historical periods. It reveals that the scientific method is not a timeless, universal procedure but a social practice—shaped by training, community norms, institutional pressures, and cultural context. Understanding this social dimension is essential for recognizing why methods change, why controversies arise, and why the same method can produce different results in different settings.

Sociology of the Scientific Method Example: "Her sociology of the scientific method research showed that what counts as 'proper' experimental design varies dramatically across fields—not because some fields are less rigorous, but because different communities have different standards shaped by their history, training, and problems. The method is social all the way down."

by Dumu The Void March 19, 2026

sociomediapathic

adjective
so·cio·me·dia·path·ic

: of, relating to, or characterized by the inability to tell the difference between one’s social-media persona and one’s real-life personality.

It is sociomediapathic to believe you are a celebrity, because a few people liked your post, when in reality you are just a dork on a computer.

by JxNS3Vj0bdNq February 18, 2025