The cult of Science, or Scientism is a direct derivative of THE ‘Enlightenment’. The cult of reason leads to a Technocratic elite, in which an elite decides on THE definition of reason, THE single narrative to explain a hypothesis or data set; THE only way to view current or past activities, THE accepted manner of group think. The self-evident and critical flaw in the philosophe of THE ‘Age of Reason’ is that the entire structure of the cult, indeed its own hypothesis that somehow ‘reason’ is an obvious object of truth, plain to all, is a fallacy and shallow minded.
The very word ‘reason’ itself is never defined by THE Enlighteners, and since it is obvious that reason is mostly contextual, intensely and often personal and specific, and that objective truth is often over-shadowed by other factors of culture, viewpoint, the immaterial, the emotional and perhaps even the irrational; there can never be ONE answer as to what constitutes reason, or even ONE answer as to what composes an object and its function. It is entirely valid that more than ONE ‘reasonable’ process, analysis and answer constitutes a ‘reasoned’ view. The interpretative reality of real-world experience is lost on THE Enlighteners. The complexity of human interpretation is ignored. An idea is always based on subjectivity, as is the hypothesis and by definition a conclusion formed by that hypothesis. ‘Reasonability’ has many forms, and truth can often be many-sided.
The French Revolution and its ‘Church of Reason’, born from THE Enlightenment, which slaughtered millions through strife and war; was as unreasonable as its offspring materialism which easily passed into Nazism based on Evolution and racism, as well as Communism premised on the settled science of socialist-phase theories). We now have Medical Fascism, based on ‘science’ we are told, and ‘reason’ built on ‘data’, guiding the implementation of Totalitarian systems to deal with a Coronavirus, which is no deadlier than the average flu.
This descent into Medical Fascism merged with Green Nazism or Communism is an inevitable by-product of THE Enlightenment. Wittgenstein and Heidigger provide detailed and apposite criticisms on what the cult of Reason will lead to, namely an unreasonable dictatorship of power. Central to both Wittgenstein and Heidigger’s critique is that the de-humanising aspect of THE Enlightenment, leads to a theocracy of ‘science’ or scientism. Political-social order changes from being concerned with the totality of existence, to viewing humans as simple math symbols, unmoored from culture, heritage, faith, experience or emotions. Given that ‘reason’ must be uber-alles, Humans eventually must become math symbols, at best, producers of economic output, or at worst, just a virus. For THE Enlightenment life itself is only concerned with material and mathematical facts, and the application of objective reason. The problem is that reason and reality are often entirely objective. There never is only ONE reason.
Corona fascism and tyranny is easily viewed in the long duration of history as an inevitable by-product of THE Age of ‘Reason’. Every action, thought, deed and death is at the mercy of THE experts, THE technocracy, THE elite who apply reason to the entire cycle of life.
Medieval era: Humans are unique, special made in the image of God. We have a purpose. Reason is personal, open to interpretation.
Enlightenment: Humans are just another animal often devoid of reason, steeped in superstition. There is only ONE right think and that is naturalist rationality. Reason is entirely declarative and obvious.
Materialism: Humans share traits and functions with other animals, humans are not unique, maybe even poorly designed.
Rationalism: Humans are simply 20 K genes, and 3 million genomic base pairs of info. We can edit this software for the benefit of all.
Post Modernism: Humans are a virus killing Gaia, we need to eliminate most of the human virus and change the software to a new version.
Transhumanism/eugenics: Humans need to be rebuilt using technology to change the genome and transforming the human into a machine.
Polanyi and the Atheist Philosopher Kuhn say much the same thing. ONE reason, to rule them all. Only ONE Rona narrative that you must follow. There can never be alternative intepretations or solutions. Never.
In the long duration of history, what is the end-goal of Globalism and its anti-human animus? The end goal is to end homo sapiens and develop a new technological hybrid.