Truth over loyalty

Gellner has taken this critique one step futher, by pointing to the social disruption entailed by the concept of disinter­ested and supra-human truth. Since so many social bonds turn on loyalty to ideas, a general scepticism towards ideas is already highly disruptive. Refusing all loyalty except to truth, and placing truth beyond human control, is still more disruptive. Gone are all guarantees of loyalty to actual existing social bonds. Such bonds are themselves now hostage to the vagaries and vicissitudes of nature. This may be the most decisive objection to taking science as a model for social institutions in general. [187-8]

1 comment

  1. Disruptive to what? Certainly not society as a whole. Disruptive to misplaced, and possibly pernicious, loyalty to individuals, regardless of their goals etc.? Well, sign me up!

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