Ep. #878: Pat Flynn on Science vs. Scientism

If you enjoy my previous philosophical musings with my good buddy Pat Flynn, you’re going to enjoy this podcast.

That’s because in it, Pat Flynn and I discuss the concept of scientism, “the Science” with a capital “S,” as well as epistemological questions like “how do we know what we know?”

Pat is a repeat guest not only because I enjoy our conversations, but I’ve gotten great feedback from listeners who like hearing about these deeper, philosophical topics we wade through. Plus, I believe the answers to these “big” questions like the ones we discuss in these philosophical tangent episodes (or at least the act of thinking about them) can help us live a better life.

In case you’re not familiar with Pat, not only is he a fitness expert who is known for his kettlebell prowess, but he’s also a podcaster, philosopher, and author.

In our discussion, we talk about . . .

• Science with a capital “S” and how we know what we “know”
• When and why to be skeptical of “the science”
• What scientism is and what science can and can’t tell us
• The concept of a “bully consensus”
• How we can use this information to make better choices
• And a lot more . . .

So, if you want to learn what scientism is, why science isn’t always the answer to all questions, and how we really know what we know, listen to this podcast!

Timestamps:

0:00 - New Recharge flavor Grape is out now! Try Recharge risk-free today! Go to buylegion.com/recharge and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points

6:58 - Is the science behind the vaccine safe? Is what we think we know real?

26:45 - Why should I be skeptical about science?

30:53- How can we “know things” through science?

36:24 - Do you have examples of scientific research that has proved certainty or truth?

41:40 - What is the human relationship with science?

1:04:48 - Should we be skeptical of science or trust science?

1:23:33 - How can this information help us to make better choices in our lives?

Mentioned on the Show:

New Recharge flavor Grape is out now! Try Recharge risk-free today! Go to buylegion.com/recharge and use coupon code MUSCLE to save 20% or get double reward points!

The Pat Flynn Show: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pat-flynn-show/id1253261458

Chronicles of Strength: https://www.chroniclesofstrength.com/

Anti Trans Rant

This was a great podcast until about midway through when there was a rant disparaging transgender people.  

The title suggests that the podcast is about science, but this section makes unscientific claims based on bias against trans people. It was hate speech dressed up in science-like language.

Examples of this include:

Direct quote: Trans people are delusional. Trans inclusion problem can never be solved.

Direct quote regarding trans medical care:

In no other circumstance is the caring, compassionate thing to feed into somebody’s (a trans person’s) delusion, and it is a delusion. It is a mental disorder.

Mutilating people is not the solution.

Pat compares gender medical treatment to folklore cancer treatments such as putting horsehair into a bottle and swirling around with apple cider vinegar.

Pat says:
If you look at the suicide rates, there’s certainly a danger. This is really catastrophic, the lives they live and the suicide rates. We should be combatting this and getting this ideology eradicated.

No credible science establishes a causal relationship between being transgender and suicide. There are other explanations, but the causality is unclear.

Groups have been persecuted in the name of science for years. 

This is yet another example.

Gays were mentally ill pedophiles, recruiting others to their lifestyle and choosing a deviant lifestyle. 

Black people were “subhuman” and had lower IQs.

And trans people are, in Pat’s words, mentally I’ll, delusional, mutilating their bodies. 

Humans are tribal, territorial, fearful of ideas, and ready to take up their spears toward those who are different.

There is a “bully consensus,” I suppose if that’s what you call speaking out against bigotry and bullies who oppress others in life-changing ways, such as through anti-trans laws that are springing up.

Why do people attack trans people? Why DOES it matter so much how they or anyone lives their lives. Science may never show us the answer to this age-old problem.