I am currently reading The Restitution of Man, by Michael Aeschliman. This is the first of a series of reflections on various quotes from the book related to the subject of ‘Scientism.’
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‘Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est’ – scientific knowledge is power, Bacon optimistically wrote. His famous words have been rendered cruelly, ominously ironic with the advent of megadeath weaponry, stockpiled pathogens, experimentation on live fetuses, neutron bombs, nerve gas, and laser guns.
The true object of scientism, wrote Lewis quoting an equally famous assertion of Bacon, ‘is to extend Man’s power to the performance of all things possible.’ But ‘all things possible,’ as we have seen in [the 20th] century, is a menacingly amoral category; as one of the scientists who worked on the atomic bomb later said regretfully, ‘We felt that neither the good nor the evil applications [of the bomb] were our responsibility.’ Such irresponsible realization of all things potential regardless of consequences is a catastrophic result of the rational and moral bankruptcy of scientism.
– Michael Aeschliman, The Restitution of Man, p. 22
I remember very well when I was a child that during an elementary school program we performed the song (I think it was from Schoolhouse Rock), ‘Knowledge is Power.’ I can still remember the chorus:
Knowledge is power. I know what I know.
The more you learn the farther you’ll go.
When you get an education, you’ll be taking a stand.
Because knowledge is power. Grab it while you can.
The point of the song is that kids should stay in school. That’s all fine and good I suppose. The issue is the statement, ‘knowledge is power.’ Power over what? What kind of power? Is it power that I want? The ‘One Ring’ of Lord of the Rings fame brought power, but was that power desirable? Indeed it was a desirable power in some sense, but it was also disastrous power .
It’s the age-old story that goes back to the story of Creation and Fall:
- Genesis 3:4 But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. 5 For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
Knowledge can certainly be a good thing. But it is not always so. There is such a thing as an idolatrous quest for knowledge, and an idolatrous use of it. Therefore be careful what you seek to learn, how you seek to learn it, and how you apply it.
Is it true to say, ‘knowledge is power?’ It can be. But if you are truly gaining the type of knowledge that brings power, you will make yourself a servant of all.
- Mark 9:35 And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.”
- 1 Corinthians 8:1 ¶ Now concerning food offered to idols: we know that “all of us possess knowledge.” This “knowledge” puffs up, but love builds up. 2 If anyone imagines that he knows something, he does not yet know as he ought to know.
