EKPOMA REVIEW

There is no gainsaying that science in our modern world is viewed as a highly esteemed and rational enterprise. As Ernst Cassirer says, “there is no power in our modern world which may be compared to that of scientific thought. It is held to be the summit and consummation of all our human activities, the last chapter in the history of mankind…”1 F. H. Giddings adds: “We (scientists) control everything that happens. We determine when it shall occur and where We arrange circumstance and surrounding atmosphere, and possible ways of getting in and possible ways of getting out.”2 This popular and esteemed image of science is believed to stem from various reasons: it is 'the' paradigm of rationality because of its commitment to a form of reasoning - inductive reasoning - embedded in its method that enables; it; give; adequate; evidence; for; the; justification; of; its beliefs,; notions,; knowledge; claims,; laws; or; theories;; it; is objective; its truth claims are universal; it is impartial; it has a public character; it is committed always to some general laws, assumptions, axioms and precepts that guide its activities. For these reasons, the; scientific; enterprise; is; believed; to; be ultimately based on evidence and facts and all these distinguish it from; all; other; forms; of; life; and; disciplines; as; an; objective enterprise and the apex of rationality. Bertrand Russell therefore says:; “it; is; not; what; the; man ;of; science; believes; that distinguishes him, but how and why he believes it. His beliefs are tentative,; not; dogmatic;; they; are; based; on; evidence; not; on authority or intuition.”

Open Full Text (PDF)