Is Science an Ideology?

The concept of ideology is central to understanding the many political, economic, social, and cultural processes that have taken place over the past two centuries in our societies. Yet the very concept of ideology remains a vague, openended, and much debated question. In this chapter I try to answer the question of whether science is a form of ideology or not from a philosophical point of view, taking a materialist approach. I begin by characterizing ideology as a complex, multifaceted concept. I then briefly discuss the material systems on which ideological movements operate, that is, societies and concrete human groups. I identify at least 11 different elements that seem to be present in most ideologies, and I compare these characteristics with those of contemporary science and technology. Although some superficial similarities can be identified, there are deep differences that make ideology completely different from science. With technology, however, the similarities are stronger. Ideologies are constantly evolving with technological advances, social changes, and even mere fashions. The current fragmentation of ideologies caused by the widespread use of new technologies and social networks has given rise to new phenomena of ideological diffusion that I think is very dangerous, especially for open societies. I discuss these processes in the context of the nature versus nurture debate, along with the question of whether we can get rid of ideologies.