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