Sciencesplaining

A form of Digitalsplaining where the perpetrator uses “science” as a cudgel to explain to the target why their beliefs, practices, or fields of study are illegitimate. Common refrains include “this is pseudoscience,” “you’re a charlatan,” “you’re exploiting vulnerable people,” or “you only want money.” The sciencesplainer positions themselves as a defender of truth while refusing to engage with the actual content of the target’s work. The tactic relies on the cultural authority of science to dismiss without argument, often conflating disagreement with fraud.

Example: “He called her years of ethnographic research ‘pseudoscience’ and ‘exploitative’ without reading a single page—sciencesplaining, using the prestige of science to avoid thinking about what she actually wrote.”

by Abzugal April 1, 2026