Science became an autonomous value detached from its survival origins
Evidence
For instance, originally all cognition appears to have been a means in the struggle for existence. Exact knowledge of the behavior of things is, in fact, of extraordinary utility for the maintenance and promotion of life. Yet cognition is no longer used in the service of this practical achievement: science has become a value in itself. It quite autonomously chooses its ob- jects, shapes them according to its own needs, and is interested in nothing beyond its own perfection. — Georg Simmel, The Sociology of Georg Simmel, 2032
Categorization
- XREF: Scientific knowledge shaped as evolutionary adaptation. — connects to: Building autonomous objective culture resembles economic takeoff into self-sustaining growth — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 87; Both nature’s mechanism and history’s determinism oppress the modern self — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 163; Broadly conceived disciplines fail to become autonomous sciences. — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 43 (+10 more)
- CANDY: A neat, tweetable observation that cognition began as survival means before becoming an end in itself.
- corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Georg Simmel, The Sociology of Georg Simmel, 2032
Broader Connections
- Anomalies that disconfirm theory become prized scientific opportunities today
#expands(0.80) - Building autonomous objective culture resembles economic takeoff into self-sustaining growth
#expands(0.75) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 87 - Broadly conceived disciplines fail to become autonomous sciences.
#qualifies(0.75) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 43 - Both nature’s mechanism and history’s determinism oppress the modern self
#complicates(0.72) — Georg Simmel, on individuality and social forms_…, 163