As another example, consider: the Big
Story called Scientism is itself sourced in an initiating
ritual practice. The seemingly simple personal act
of imagining the “scientific method,”
namely,
imagining that you
can emotionally remove
yourself from a relationship
with something that you can sense is, itself,
a ritual practice that enables one to break-out
of the everyday world of common-sensing and
break-through to the extraordinary
world of scientific sensing.
This practice—often symbolized
and activated by putting on a white jacket
or lab coat—is not unlike the clearing of the
mind that many meditaters practice as they prepare to “sit”
and initiate their breakthrough to a deep state of bliss.
Customarily, a scientist readies
himself by getting into this peculiar frame of “scientific
thinking” by clearing and quieting
his mind, disciplining his reasoning with logic and
rationality, and putting a controlling damper on
his emotions. If successful, his peers will agree
that he has realized “scientific objectivity.”
Being in this state of detached objectivity—clearly
a state of an extraordinary and altered state of
consciousness and of emotional control—gives meaning
to his being a scientist and enables him to belong
to the "scientific community."
As part of their ritual practice, scientists/scientismists
have special places—the laboratory and academia,
don an identifying vestment—white jacket, assume
honorific titles—customarily Doctor or Professor,
and communicate with special language and
imagery—the core language of mathematics and all the
dialects of the numerous specializations.
Continue—Ritual Living
