DISPUTATIONS SEPTEMBER 26, 2013

Science vs. the Humanities, Round III

BY STEVEN PINKER AND LEON WIESELTIER
Steven Pinker In his commenta ! on m! essa! "Science is Not !o# Enem!,$ %eon &iese'tie ( ites, "It is not )o science to sa! (hethe science *e'on+s in mo a'it! an, -o'itics an, a t.$ I e-'!/ It is not )o %eon &iese'tie to sa! (he e science *e'on+s. 0oo, i,eas can come ) om an! so# ce, an, the! m#st *e e1a'#ate, on thei co+enc!, not on the occ#-ationa' c'i2#e o) the -eo-'e (ho o i+inate, them. &iese'tie 3s insistence that science sho#', sta! insi,e a *o4 he has *#i't )o it an, 'ea1e the (ei+ht! 2#estions to -hi'oso-h! is *ase, on a )a''ac!. Yes, ce tain - o-ositions a e em-i ica', othe s 'o+ica' o conce-t#a' o no mati1e5 the! sho#', not *e con)#se,. B#t - o-ositions a e not aca,emic ,isci-'ines. Science is not a 'istin+ o) em-i ica' )acts, no has -hi'oso-h! e1e con)ine, itse') to the non6em-i ica'. &h! sho#', eithe ,isci-'ine sta! insi,e &iese'tie 3s ste i'e ooms7 Does mo a'it! ha1e nothin+ to ,o (ith the )acts o) h#man (e''6*ein+, o (ith the so# ce o) h#man mo a' int#itions7 Does -o'itica' theo ! ha1e nothin+ to 'ea n ) om a *ette #n,e stan,in+ o) -eo-'e3s inc'inations to coo-e ate, a++ ess, hoa ,, sha e, (o 8, em-athi9e, o s#*mit to a#tho it!7 Is a t ea''! in,e-en,ent o) 'an+#a+e, -e ce-tion, memo !, emotion7 I) not, an, i) scientists ha1e ma,e ,isco1e ies a*o#t these )ac#'ties (hich +o *e!on, ecei1e, (is,om, (h! isnt it )o them to sa! that these i,eas *e'on+ in an! so-histicate, ,isc#ssion o) these to-ics7 :o thei -a t, -hi'oso-he s *e+innin+ (ith P'ato ha1e theo i9e, a*o#t scienti)ic 2#estions o) ho( the h#man min, (o 8s;not as a si,e'ine, *#t to - o1i,e in,is-ensa*'e - emises )o thei -hi'oso-hica' a +#ments. <&iese'tie consi,e s this i,ea "a*s# ,$5 I consi,e it o*1io#s.= >#me3s ana'!sis o) the nat# e o) ca#sa'it!, to ta8e ?#st one e4am-'e, (as enmeshe, (ith his theo ! o) the -s!cho'o+! o) ca#sa'it!. >o**es, Desca tes, S-ino9a, %oc8e, >a t'e!, Be 8e'e!, Ro#ssea#, @ant, an, Mi'', amon+ othe s, a'so inte (o1e thei -hi'oso-hica' a +#ments (ith h!-otheses a*o#t -e ce-tion, co+nition, emotion, an, socia'it!. <Yes, inc'#,in+ @ant5 see Pat icia @itche 3s Kants Transcendental Psychology )o an e4-'ication o) @ant as a co+niti1e -s!cho'o+ist, tho#+h o) co# se that3s not a'' he (as.= It is anach onistic to sa! that these scho'a s (e e ,oin+ nothin+ *#t "-hi'oso-h!,$ an, that the ,isco1e ies o) -eo-'e (ho to,a! han+ thei hats in *#i',in+s 'a*e'e, "ne# oscience$ o "-s!cho'o+!$ o "anth o-o'o+!$ ha1e no e'e1ance to the iss#es the! aise,. &hi'e anointin+ himse') ,e)en,e o) the h#manities, &iese'tie e-eate,'! iss#es c i--'in+ ,i8tats on (hat h#manistic scho'a shi- cannot ,o;s#ch as ma8e - o+ ess. Aont a ! to his - ono#ncement that "the 1e4ations o) -hi'oso-h! Ba e not eti e,,$ that "e o s Ca eD not co ecte, an, ,isca ,e,,$ most mo a' -hi'oso-he s to,a! (o#', sa! that the o', a +#ments ,e)en,in+ s'a1e ! as a nat# a' instit#tion a e e o s (hich ha1e *een co ecte, an, ,isca ,e,. E-istemo'o+ists, too, mi+ht sa! that thei )ie', has - o+ esse, ) om the ,a!s (hen Desca tes co#', a +#e that h#man -e ce-tion is 1e i,ica' *eca#se 0o, (o#', not ,ecei1e #s. &iese'tie * ist'es at m! s#++estion that science is ,istin+#ishe, *! the 1a'#e it -'aces on the tho o#+h6 +oin+ inte''i+i*i'it! o) the (o ',;on the e'ent'ess sea ch *e!on, the e4-'anation o) a -henomenon )o

a sti'' ,ee-e e4-'anation o) the e4-'icans. Yet he 'e+is'ates that the h#manities ma! to'e ate no s#ch c# iosit!. The h#manities a e "a#tonomo#s,$ he sti-#'ates, an, e4-'anation m#st sto- (ith "the i e,#ci*'e ea'it! o) in(a ,ness, an, its a#tonom! as a cate+o ! o) #n,e stan,in+.$ Be++in+ the 2#estion, &iese'tie thin8s it is inc iminatin+ that I ",en! that the ,i))e ences *et(een the 1a io#s ea'ms o) h#man e4istence, an, *et(een the ,isci-'ines that in1esti+ate them, a e )ina',$ that I "t ans+ ess the *o ,e s *et(een ea'ms,$ that I " e?ect the momento#s ,istinction *et(een the st#,! o) the nat# a' (o ', an, the st#,! o) the h#man (o ',.$ Yes, I ,o a'' these thin+s, an, )o t#nate'!, so ,o man! o) the h#manities scho'a s (ith (hom I ha1e inte acte, o1e the ,eca,es, (ho ha1e no inte est in ha'tin+ thei sea ch )o e4-'anation at &iese'tie 3s *o ,e )ence. In,ee,, it3s ha , to ima+ine that e1en the most science6in,i))e ent h#manities scho'a (o#', acce-t &iese'tie 3s insistence that the inte - etation o) (o 8s o) a t m#st *e est icte, to -# e "meanin+$ (itho#t attention to "technica' matte s.$ The! (o#', *e s# - ise, to 'ea n, )o e4am-'e, that mete an, so#n, in -oet !, 'i+htin+ an, -e s-ecti1e in -aintin+, -itch an, h!thm in m#sic, an, othe -henomena at the *o ,e o) a t an, science a e i e'e1ant to #n,e stan,in+ the meanin+ o) a (o 8. B#t then &iese'tie 3s inc# iosit! e4ten,s to an e4amination o) meanin+ as (e''. Ta#to'o+ies s#ch as "a man3s e4-e ience o) his )athe is his e4-e ience o) his )athe $ seem to satis)! him, (hi'e +en#ine'! sta t'in+ ne( insi+hts ) om the sciences;the theo ! o) -a ent6o))s- in+ con)'ict, the -a#cit! o) 'astin+ e))ects o) the )ami'! en1i onment on the )o mation o) -e sona'it!, the const #cti1e nat# e o) a#to*io+ a-hica' memo !;a e )'attene, in his te''in+ to "a h#nt )o -henot!-es,$ o) "o#tcomes )i4e, *! ch omosomes.$ Ta'8 a*o#t e,#ctionismE &iese'tie is a'so o))en,e, *! the s#++estion that anothe 1a'#e o) science is (o th! o) em#'ation, name'! that the ac2#isition o) 8no('e,+e is ha , an, o)ten e2#i es 'a*o io#s em-i ica' tests. %et me e4-'ain (hat I mean (ith an e4am-'e. In ,e)en,in+ e'i+ion, &iese'tie ( ites, "On'! a sma'' mino it! o) *e'ie1e s in an! o) the sc i-t# a' e'i+ions, )o e4am-'e, ha1e e1e ta8en sc i-t# e 'ite a''!.$ Rea''!7 >o( ,oes he 8no(7 &iese'tie ( ites as i) his sa!6so is a'' (e nee, to mo1e on to the ne4t ste- o) his a +#ment. %et3s -#t asi,e the astonishin+ "ha1e e1e $ -a t o) the c'aim, an, con)ine o# se'1es to the - esent. Recent -o''s sho( that *et(een 30 -e cent <0a''#-= to 60 -e cent <Rasm#ssen= o) Ame icans *e'ie1e that the Bi*'e is "the act#a' (o , o) 0o, to *e ta8en 'ite a''!, (o , )o (o ,$;ha ,'! "a sma'' mino it!.$ :i+# es )o *e'ie1e s in the (o ',3s othe sc i-t# a' e'i+ions a e e1en hi+he / Acco ,in+ to a ecent Pe( s# 1e!, *et(een FG an, H3 -e cent o) M#s'ims in the co#nt ies s# 1e!e, *e'ie1e that the I# an sho#', *e ea, "'ite a''!, (o , )o (o ,.$ The -oint is not that &iese'tie is )act#a''! mista8en in this asse tion. The -oint is that a mo e scienti)ic min,set (o#', eco+ni9e that an em-i ica' - o-osition ,eman,s em-i ica' 1e i)ication. The e a in (hich an essa!ist can +et a(a! (ith e4 cathe, a - ono#ncements on )act#a' 2#estions in socia' science is comin+ to an en,. The 1e ! -ossi*i'it! o) a s!nthetic #n,e stan,in+ o) h#man a))ai s, in (hich 8no('e,+e ) om the sciences can cont i*#te to the h#manities (itho#t ta8in+ them o1e , is inconcei1a*'e to &iese'tie . Be+innin+ (ith its taste'ess tit'e, his a tic'e stea,i'! esca'ates the -a anoia, ti'tin+ at the -osition I e4-'icit'! ,isa1o(, name'! that science is "a'' the e is,$ that it is "a s#))icient a-- oach to ... the h#man #ni1e se,$ that the h#manities m#st "s#*mit to the sciences, an, *e s#*s#me, *! them,$ that the! m#st *e the "han,mai,en o) the sciences, an, ,e-en,ent #-on the sciences )o thei a,1ance an, e1en thei s# 1i1a',$ that a "a scienti)ic e4-'anation, (i'' e4-ose the #n,e '!in+ sameness$ an, "a*so * a'' the ea'ms into a sin+'e ea'm, into thei ea'm.$ I) !o# a e a scho'a in the h#manities, an, )ea that m! essa! a,1ocates an! o) these '#natic -ositions, I am he e to te'' !o#/ e'a4. As I ( ote, an, )i m'! *e'ie1e, "the - omise o) science is to en ich an, ,i1e si)! the inte''ect#a' too's o) h#manistic scho'a shi-, not to o*'ite ate them.$ &iese'tie ,o#*ts m! since it! (hen I note that the *ene)its o) a consi'ience *et(een the sciences an, h#manities +o *oth (a!s. >e *i9a e'! t ans'ates m! o*se 1ation that "the sciences CcanD cha''en+e

thei theo ies (ith the nat# a' e4-e iments an, eco'o+ica''! 1a'i, -henomena that ha1e *een so ich'! cha acte i9e, *! h#manists$ as "scientists thin8 (e'' an, h#manists ( ite (e''.J So 'et me e4-'ain the o*se 1ation (ith a )e( e4am-'es o) t(o6(a! t a))ic ?#st ) om m! o(n esea ch. Theo ies o) the menta' e- esentation o) the 1is#a' )ie', m#st accommo,ate the )act that the e- o,#ction o) 'inea -e s-ecti1e in -aintin+ is not co+niti1e'! nat# a' *#t (as a 'ate in1ention in the histo ! o) a t. A ma?o theo ! o) a#,ito ! scene ana'!sis ecei1es im-o tant con)i mation ) om the -henomenon o) 1i t#a' -o'!-hon! in m#sic. Theo ies o) menta' ima+e ! m#st acco#nt )o the o*se 1ations *! ana'!tica' -hi'oso-he s that ima+es 'ac8 the +eomet ic ,etai' o) 1is#a' -e ce-ts, an, that e1en (ith s#ch ,etai' the! (o#', *e #ns#ite, to e- esent a*st act conce-ts. Resea ch in -s!cho'in+#istics ,e-en,s hea1i'! on -hi'o'o+ica' scho'a shi- on the histo ! o) (o ,s an, + ammatica' const #ctions in En+'ish an, othe 'an+#a+es. Theo ies o) co+niti1e cate+o i9ation *e+in (ith cont astin+ 1ie(s on the nat# e o) conce-ts ) om A istot'e an, &itt+enstein. The science o) h#man a++ ession has 'ea ne, immeas# a*'! ) om the histo ! o) c ime, (a , +enoci,e, c imina' -#nishment, an, e'i+io#s an, c#'t# a' attit#,es to(a , 1io'ence. E4am-'es co#', *e m#'ti-'ie, ) om the esea ch o) othe s. &hat is at sta8e in this ,e*ate7 &iese'tie seems s# - ise, *! the i,ea that scienti)ic thin8in+ sho#', nee, ,e)en,in+, since "it is the h#manities that a e ,ec'inin+ in Ame ica, not 'east as a es#'t o) the e4a++e ate, +'amo# o) science.$ Yet )o a'' its + o(th in the *#,+ets an, the ea' estate o) #ni1e sities, scienti)ic thin8in+ is sti'' ma +ina'i9e, in the ma?o a enas o) o-inion an, in)'#ence, (hich a e i)e (ith statistica' i''ite ac!, e'i+io#s o*sc# antism, in,i))e ence to ,ata, an, the ins#'a it! o) o*so'escin+ aca,emic )ie)s. Leon Wiese!tier Ste1en Pin8e is co ect/ in the st #++'e to esta*'ish acc# ate an, es-ect)#' e'ations *et(een the sciences an, the h#manities, I am )o a t(o6state so'#tion. In this a ena o) tension, as in the othe one, I *e'ie1e that a one6state so'#tion (o#', in1o'1e the e as# e o) one o) the ea'ms, its ,isto tion *!, an, s#*o ,ination to, an a#tho it! that has no 'e+itimate c'aim o1e it. I am am#se, to 'ea n that Pin8e e+a ,s the h#manities as someho( the + eate -o(e in this con) ontation5 he seems to *e'ie1e that the (i,es- ea, i+no ance o) the sciences;(h! sho#', the! *e s-a e, the ma +ina'i9ation o) 8no('e,+e in Ame ican c#'t# e7;has somethin+ to ,o (ith the ,e)ense o) the h#manities. &o#', it com)o t him to note that (e a e not e4act'! a nation o) h#manists7 In the )i+ht )o inte''ect#a' se io#sness ami, *i+ me,ia an, *i+ ,ata, the sciences an, the h#manities a e in )act on the same si,e. Da (in an, Dante a e *oth im-e i'e, mino ities. I am a++ ie1e, *! the scienti)ic i''ite ac! o) most Ame icans. I ass#me that Pin8e )ee's the same (a! a*o#t thei h#manistic i''ite ac!. I am ha--! to ha1e him in m! )o4ho'e. It3s +oin+ to *e a 'on+ (a . B#t !es, I am a ,ent'! s#--o ti1e o) *o ,e s an, )ences. The! c'a i)! thin+s, tho#+h the! a e ha ,'! a'' (e nee, to 8no(. The e is a *asis in ea'it! )o the ,ema cations o) the ) ontie s *et(een the sciences an, the h#manities/ the! e)'ect the act#a''! e4istin+ m#'ti-'icit! o) the ea'ms, an, thei 1a io#s ,e+ ees o) incommens# a*i'it! (ith each othe . This seems enti e'! #ncont o1e sia' an, ino))ensi1e to me. I ,o not ,e)en, the inte+ ities o) the )ie',s in a s-i it o) e4c'#si1eness5 not at a''. The *o ,e s a e -o o#s, since h#man 'i)e an, nat# a' 'i)e a e 1a io#s an, com-'icate,. Pin8e e s in thin8in+ that I a,1ocate that e1e !*o,! "sta! insi,e Cthei Dste i'e ooms.$ I am a+ainst ste i'it!. I am )o a,1ent# e. I )a1o the ) ee mo1ement o) i,eas an, -eo-'e ac oss *o ,e s. B#t I ,o not (ish to e4a++e ate (hat is accom-'ishe, *! the scientist in the 8in+,om o) the h#manities o the h#manist in the 8in+,om o) the sciences. Pin8e 3s ec#menicism is too ha--! (ith itse'). The enco#nte s a e nice, an, the! a e ce tain'! <in the im-e isha*'e (o ,s o) a ) ien, o) mine= con)e ence6*#i',in+ meas# es5 *#t (e m#st *e st ict a*o#t (hat is an, is not i''#minate, *! them. &hen Pin8e ha-so,i9es a*o#t "a s!nthetic #n,e stan,in+ o)

h#man a))ai s,$ I am #nmo1e,. I see no nee, )o s#ch a s!nthesis, inso)a as it e'i,es o e ases si+ni)icant ,istinctions o ha *o s tota'istic as-i ations. Uni)ie, )ie', theo ies ma! t# n scientists on, *#t the! t# n h#manists o))/ it has ta8en a 1e ! 'on+ time to esta*'ish the e-istemo'o+ica' h#mi'it!, the -'# a'istic 'a +eness o) min,, that those *o ,e s e- esent, an, no e1o'#tion in an! science has the -o(e to e-ea' it. <I 8no(, I 8no(/ I am s-ea8in+ ex cathedra a+ain, (he eas Pin8e sa!s nothin+, he ,oes not o ,e a + i''e, cheese san,(ich, (itho#t a so'i, )o#n,ation in em-i ica' esea ch.= The iss#e is not ho( +oo, the science is, *#t ho( m#ch e1en the *est science can e4-'ain. &hat Pin8e cannot * in+ himse') to acce-t is that his *e'o1e, sciences, e1en (hen the! ,o she, some 'i+ht on as-ects o) a t an, 'ite at# e, ma! she, 'itt'e 'i+ht an,;)o the -# -ose o) #n,e stan,in+ meanin+ <Pin8e 3s sca e 2#otes a o#n, "meanin+$ ma! in,icate a sca e=;#ne4citin+ o inconse2#entia' 'i+ht. I +a1e the e4am-'es o) the chemica' ana'!sis o) a Aha ,in -aintin+ an, the 'in+#istic ana'!sis o) a Ba#,e'ai e -oem. Man! othe e4am-'es co#', *e +i1en. "The theo ! o) -a ent6 o))s- in+ con)'ict$;I ho-e the + ants )o that -a tic#'a * ea8th o#+h (e e not too 'a +e;is 2#ite s#-e )'#o#s )o the e4-'ication o) T# +ene1 o 0osse. Nothin+ in the -h!sica' (o ',, in the (o ', o) the senses, in the (o ', o) e4-e ience, can *e imm#ne ) om o in,i))e ent to the cate+o ies o) the sciences5 *#t the e a e conte4ts in (hich scienti)ic ana'!sis ma! *e t i1ia'. That is not to sa! that science is t i1ia', o*1io#s'!. B#t the *e'ie) that science is s#- eme in a'' the conte4ts, o that it has the 'ast (o , on a'' the conte4ts, o that a'' the conte4ts a(ait the attentions o) science to *e - o-e '! #n,e stoo,; that is an i,o'at ! o) science, o scientism. Pin8e is ( on+/ I am not censo in+ scientists. The! can sa! an!thin+ the! (ant. B#t e1e !thin+ the! sa! ma! not *e met (ith + ate)#' ?#*i'ation. So 'et the scientists in;the! a e a' ea,! s(a min+ in;to the h#manities, *#t not as sa1io s o as s#-e io s. An, those s(a++e in+ scientists a*o#t (hose intentions Pin8e (ants h#manists to " e'a4$/ the! ha, *ette - e-a e themse'1es )o a mi4e, ece-tion o1e he e, *eca#se o1e he e the +o', the! * in+ ma! *e , oss. A (o , a*o#t - o+ ess an, the h#manities/ Pin8e , 'i8e the +oo, scienti9e that he is, misses m! -oint. I ,i, not a +#e that the e is no s#ch thin+ as mo a' - o+ ess. B#t "the e a,ication o) s'a1e ! as a nat# a' instit#tion,$ in Pin8e 3s con,i+n e4am-'e, (as not achie1e, on'! in the name o) ne( conce-ts. A'on+si,e the -hi'oso-hica' inno1ations o) mo,e n 'i*e a'ism (e e ancient notions o) ) ee,om, >e* e( an, 0 ee8. Those notions <h!-oc itica' in *oth cases;*#t then the same ma! *e sai, o) m#ch ei+hteenth6 an, nineteenth6cent# ! 'i*e a'ism= (e e sti'' -e tinent5 (he eas no e'ement o) 0 ee8 o >e* e( cosmo'o+! matte s a (hit )o contem-o a ! scienti)ic in2#i !. The a*sence o) - o+ ess is not a'(a!s e1i,ence o) o*sc# antism o ,eca,ence. Sometimes 1a'#a*'e i,eas an, inst #ments (e e esta*'ishe, ea '!, an, inhe ite,. An, a (o , a*o#t e'i+ion/ Pin8e is i+ht to -oint o#t that most e'i+ion is )o'8 e'i+ion. Inte''ect#a''! so-histicate, e'i+io#s 1ie(s a e not he', *! most o) the -eo-'e (ho ho', e'i+io#s 1ie(s, ?#st as inte''ect#a''! so-histicate, scienti)ic 1ie(s a e not he', *! most o) the -eo-'e (ho ho', scienti)ic 1ie(s. The e-#tation o) science sho#', not *e he', hosta+e to )o'8 science. O) co# se Pin8e ,enies that the e can *e inte''ect#a''! so-histicate, e'i+io#s 1ie(s/ "a mo e scienti)ic min,set (o#', eco+ni9e that an em-i ica' - o-osition ,eman,s em-i ica' 1e i)ication.$ So it (o#',;*#t a 'ess scienti)ic, an, mo e ca-acio#s, min,set (o#', eco+ni9e that e'i+io#s )aith is not ?#st a set o) em-i ica' - o-ositions, an, that it is not inconsistent, (hen inte''i+ent'! inte - ete,, (ith em-i ica' 1e i)ications. The e emains the 2#estion o) (h! one (o#', (ish to inte - et inte''i+ent'! te4ts that seem in some (a!s #ninte''i+ent;*#t that is a m#ch 'a +e ,isc#ssion an, a m#ch ,ee-e ,isa+ eement, (hich Pin8e an, I can -# s#e (hen (e meet at the Aonsi'ience Aa)K, (he e I (i'' insist that (e s-'it the chec8. """.ne"re#u$!ic.com%artic!e%&&'()'%steven*#inker*!eon*"iese!tier*de$ate*science*vs*humanities