Scientism and Values.pdf - Ludwig von Mises Institute

246 Scientism and Values
testable is admitted as truth-the progressive extension of the
laboratory becomes an imperative. Harold D. Lasswell's observations
are to the point: 18
The principal limitation [to the experimental approach] is that many
of the most elegant findings can only be transferred to other laboratories.
They cannot be transferred to field situations because there is
no technique of demonstrating in the field the degree in which the
conditions assumed as constant in the laboratory do in fact occur.
For this reason, "bridges need to be built between laboratory
situations and field situations,." It becomes a necessary "refinement
... to take the laboratory design into the field and to apply
it to a whole community context. In such a setting many 'of the
procedures devised under laboratory· conditions take on new
meaning." The field, in effect transformed into laboratory, may
"then be explored more intensively in order to identify the
variables that account for the deviation. This can be done by
applying more laboratory-type measures at the proper spots and
by instituting a program of 'probers,' 'pre-tests,' 'interventions,'
and 'appraisals.' "
The second method, that of extr.apolation, may be seen in its
consequences as but a variant of the first, assuming as it does
that variables which coexisted in the past will tend to do so in
the future. The experience, however rare, that they will not, that
even tendencies may be upset, indicates the essential shortcoming,
in terms of the scientific ideal, ofa method which is satisfied with
statistical correlations.I 9 "The infinite variety of causal sequences
to which every act and event in history is related," Reinhold
Niebuhr has pointed out,20 "makes almost every correlation of
causes sufficiently plausible to be immune to compelling challenge."
The ideal of empirical science is exact knowledge on the
basis of which men might act without further consideration of
alternatives, without further study, research, reflection, or debate.
Before the scientist will be justified in claiming that particular
conditions have such objective existence, he must have exercised