EditorialThe vital role of transcendental truth in science
Introduction
I have come to believe that science depends for its long-term success on an explicit and pervasive pursuit of the ideal of transcendental truth.
‘Transcendental’ implies that a value is ideal and ultimate – it is aimed-at but can be known, achieved or measured only imperfectly. So, transcendental truth is located outside of science; beyond scientific methods, processes and peer consensus.
Transcendental truth is not, therefore, evaluated by science; but is instead the proper aim of science. Especially truth is the proper aim of scientists as individuals. In other words, science should be a social system dominated by scientists who are dedicated truth-seekers: who practice ’the habit of truth’ and whose practice of science includes ‘truth talk’ that references current actuality to ideal aspirations.
(Henceforth in this essay, the word ‘truth’ should always be understood to refer to ‘transcendental truth’.)
Section snippets
An experiment in excluding truth from scientific discourse
Although the ultimate scientific authority of a transcendental value of truth was a view almost universally held by the greatest scientists throughout recorded history, and was a frequent topic of discourse among scientists and in the literature until the mid-20th century; modern science has pretty much dispensed with the idea of truth. References to truth in an ultimate sense have by now been all-but banished from professional scientific literature and discourse; being regarded by a younger
Charles Murray’s Human accomplishment
In his magisterial book Human accomplishment [6], Murray suggests that the highest level of genius is attained more frequently in societies which explicitly and pervasively incorporate concepts of the transcendental values of ‘the good’ ‘the true’ and ‘the beautiful’; or virtue, truth and beauty:
“…A culture that fosters great accomplishment needs a coherent sense of the transcendental goods. Coherent sense means that the goods are a live presence in the culture, and that great artists and
The habit of truth or a habit of hype?
Truth-seeking science is a product of the domination of the social system of science by intrinsically truthful scientists – and such a system will also evolve social mechanisms for the enforcement of truthfulness. One example of a practice of science that embodies truth-seeking is that which Bronowski termed the habit of truth [12].
Bronowski argues that for science to be truthful as a whole it is not sufficient to aim at truth as an ultimate outcome, scientists must also be habitually truthful
Is truth true, or just a convenient fiction?
It seems that transcendental truth is needed in science for many reasons.
One reason relates to the motivation for individual scientists to aim as high as their abilities allow. Only when science is truth-seeking can its practice mobilize the most profound dedication from its practitioners – a level of motivation far greater than that elicited by peer-approval-seeking science, or science done from a sense of duty [6]. Another reason for valuing truth is the need for science as a social system to
Recruiting only truth-seekers and truth tellers, encouraging truth-talk
Even when they regard it as desirable that science be truth-guided, modern scientists may find it puzzling to understand how truth could be operationalized in scientific practice; despite the fact that truth actually was operationalized in science until a couple of generations ago.
Essentially, what is needed is that the social system of science should be staffed by devoted truth-seekers and that transcendental truth should be (to adapt Murray’s quote) a live presence in the culture of science
References (16)
Conflicts of interest in medical science: peer usage, peer review and ‘CoI consultancy’
Med Hypotheses
(2004)Figureheads, ghost-writers and pseudonymous quant bloggers: the recent evolution of authorship in science publishing
Med Hypotheses
(2008)The last genius? – reflections on the death of Francis Crick
Med Hypotheses
(2004)- et al.
The future of ‘pure’ medical science. The need for a new specialist professional research system
Med Hypotheses
(2005) Real science
(2000)The philosophical basis of peer review and the suppression of innovation
JAMA
(1990)The glass bead game
(1975)Human accomplishment: the pursuit of excellence in the arts and sciences, 800 BC to 1950
(2003)
Cited by (5)
Science, dullness and truth: A rejoinder
2010, Medical HypothesesFirst and second things, and the operations of conscience in science
2010, Medical HypothesesSubjective judgements in scientific practice and art
2011, Journal of Epidemiology and Community HealthThe Zombie science of evidence-based medicine: A personal retrospective. A commentary on Djulbegovic, B., Guyatt, G. H. & Ashcroft, R. E. (2009). Cancer Control, 16, 158-168
2009, Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice