Power as knowledge. The reverse logic of the post-scientific world

• Authors: Aleksander Kobylarek
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

This article deals with the causes and effects of a surrender to anti-science in social development. Populist governments support the idea of anti-science in an attempt to win over poorly-educated electors. The text analyses the fundamental characteristics of the pressure mechanisms adopted by populist movements, and points to the system of measures in various spheres which help in fostering general ignorance and support anti-scientific operations. For the agents of power science, and the system of values which accompanies it, becomes a target to attack. Simultaneously, for the average person scientific knowledge ceases to be the basis of analysis and interpretation of different phenomena. Anti-science regimes support anti-science movements in order to manipulate society and disrupt potential opposition. This is possible thanks to superficial education and not enough emphasis on critical thinking within the education system, because less discerning citizens will go along with an anti-science regime.             Analysis leads to the conclusion that the narrow short-term material interest of the regime is its only value, to which all others are subordinated, including Plato’s triad. In the face of a lack of understanding on the part of the authorities, education based on episteme is not possible, at least not entirely. This article suggests the need for change in the philosophy of education to one where the major emphasis is on quality and prioritised content.

Keywords

EN

Demokratur; post-scientism; stupefaction; government by ignoramuses; publicness; critical thinking

• Publisher: Fundacja Pro Scientia Publica
• Journal: Journal of Education Culture and Society
• Year: 2020
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 5-14

Dates

published

2020-09-11

Contributors

author

Aleksander Kobylarek

• University of Wrocław, Institute of Pedagogy, ul. Dawida 1/3

References

• Andreski, S. (2002). Czarnoksięstwo w naukach społecznych [Witchcraft in the Social Sciences]. Warszawa: Oficyna Wydawnicza.
• Battelle, J. (2006). The Search: How Google and Its Rivals Rewrote the Rules of Business and Transformed Our Culture. Boston-London: Portfolio.
• Baudrillard, J. (1988). Selected Writings. Stanford: Stanford UniversityPress.
• Błaszczyński, K. (2013). Zmierzch bogów – o zasadności likwidacji habilitacji i profesury w Polsce i krajach europejskich [The twilight of the Gods – on the validity of the abolition of habilitation and professorships in Poland and European countries]. Ogrody Nauk i Sztuk(3), pp. 54-63.
• Bobek, B. (2018). Polityka historyczna Węgier. Współczesne oblicze [Historical policy of Hungary. Contemporary countenance]. Ogrody Nauk i Sztuk(8), pp. 128-136.
• Buber, M. (1999). Ich und Du. Gütersloh: Gütersloher Verlagshaus.
• Collins, H. (2014). Are we all scientific experts now? Cambridge: Polity Press.
• de Solla-Price, D. J. (1963). Little Science, Big Science ... and Beyond. New York: Columbia Univ Press.
• Foucault, M. (1966). Les mots et les choses. Une archéologie des sciences humaines. Paris: Gallimard.
• Jashapara, A. (2004). Knowledge Management: An Integrated Approach. Essex : Pearson Education.
• Kobylarek, A. (2007). Episteme i doksa w późnej nowoczesności [Episteme and dox in post-modernism]. Pedagogika Szkoły Wyższej(30), pp. 57-69.
• Kobylarek, A. (2016). Seven cardinal sins of science. Journal of Education Culture and Society(2), pp. 5-8.
• Kobylarek, A. (2017). Polish Humboldtian University in the Face of Paradigmatic Change. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
• Kobylarek, A. (2020). The pedagogy of shame. Education in the face of the demokratur of ignoramuses. Journal of Education Culture and Society(1), pp. 5-12.
• March, J. G., & Olsen, J. P. (1989). Rediscovering Institutions. New York: Free Press.
• Meighan, R. (2007). Sociology of Educating. London: Continuum.
• Pietrzyk, A. (2019). Kulturowe spojrzenie na programy powszechnych szczepień ochronnych wczoraj i dziś [Cultural Perspectives on Vaccination in the past and present]. Ogrody Nauk i Sztuk(9), pp. 113-132.
• Sokal, A., & Bricmont, J. (1998). Fashionable Nonsense: Postmodern Intellectuals Abuse of Science. New York: Picador.
• Such, J., & Szcześniak, M. (2002). Filozofia nauki [The philosophy of science]. Poznań: Wydawnictwo Naukowe UAM.

Identifiers

DOI

10.15503/jecs2020.2.5.14