Cited Podcast #1: The Science Wars
Apr 14, 2020
Alan Sokal, a mathematical physicist famous for his postmodernism hoax, joins literature professor Bruce Robbins, who offers insights on the politics of the academic left, and sociologist Steve Fuller, who provides historical context. They dive into the contentious 'Science Wars' of the 90s, discussing the impact of Cold War funding on science perceptions and the political fallout from Sokal's hoax in Social Text. The trio also explores how these debates have shaped today's 'post-truth' climate and the complex relationship between science and politics.
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Supercollider Cancellation Sparks Backlash
- The U.S. cancelled the Superconducting Supercollider in 1993 after Congress cut funding amid austerity debates.
- Physicists blamed critiques of science studies for public distrust and loss of support for big science projects.
Relativism As A Political Problem
- Critics accused portions of science studies of epistemic relativism that denies objective truth in science.
- Alan Sokal viewed this stance as politically self-defeating for the left because it enables 'alternative facts'.
The Sokal Hoax Plan
- Alan Sokal wrote a deliberately nonsensical paper linking quantum gravity to progressive politics to test Social Text.
- He aimed to expose what he saw as vacuous postmodernism by getting the hoax published.
