The idea that the development of scientific knowledge is not a free, rational pursuit of truth, but is determined by external, non-scientific forces. These can be economic (funding interests), ideological (political or religious dogma), technological (what tools are available), or social (power structures within institutions). Science is steered by its environment.
Example: The history of tobacco research, where corporate funding deterministically shaped the questions asked and the conclusions highlighted for decades, is a blunt case. More subtly, a scientific-epistemological determinism might argue that the current focus on AI and quantum computing is less about the "pure" logic of scientific progress and more determined by geopolitical competition and massive capital investment. Which diseases get researched is heavily determined by pharmaceutical profit potential, not just by global health burden.
by Abzugal January 24, 2026
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