「科学主义」这个词曾被社会科学家如弗里德里希·哈耶克、科学哲学家如卡尔·波普尔和哲学家如希拉里·普特南和茨维坦·托多洛夫使用,用来描述许多科学家所共有的态度和信念,这一信念让自然科学的研究和其所采用的方法终于上升到意识形态的水平[2]。对科学主义的经典论述,正如物理学家欧内斯特·卢瑟福所言[3]:除物理,皆集邮(There is physics, and there is stamp-collecting)。
Mikael Stenmark提出用“科学扩张主义”作为科学主义的代名词[13]。在《科学和宗教百科全书》中,他写道,虽然科学主义的理论有着多种可能的形式和不同程度的变化,但它们共通的思想是,科学(或通常所称的自然科学)的边界应当扩展,使一些过去一直没有被认作为科学相关的主题,现在 (在科学主义下) 可以理解为科学的一部分(并且通常无论探讨维度和广度,科学将成为唯一的标准)[13]。
^ 6.06.1Blackburn, S. The Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy. Oxford paperbacks. Oxford University Press. 2005: 331–32 [2014-02-01]. ISBN 978-0-19-861013-7. LCCN 2006271895. (原始内容存档于2016-12-09). Scientism: Pejorative term for the belief that the methods of natural science, or the categories and things recognized in natural science, form the only proper elements in any philosophical or other inquiry.
^Peterson 2003, p. 753: 'the best way to understand the charge of scientism is as a kind of logical fallacy involving improper usage of science or scientific claims' 格雷戈里·彼得森(2003)认为:“最好将科学主义理解为一种涉及科学或科学主张的不当使用的逻辑谬误。”(p.753)
^Haack, Susan, Defending Science Within Reason: Between Scientism and Cynicism, Amherst, NY: Prometheus Books, 2003
^Rey, Abel. Review of La Philosophie Moderne. The Journal of Philosophy, Psychology and Scientific Methods. 1909, 6.2: 51–3.
^Maslow, Abraham, Preface, Toward a Psychology of Being 1st, There are criticisms of orthodox, 19th Century scientism and I intend to continue with this enterprise
Peterson, Gregory R, Demarcation and the Scientistic Fallacy, Zygon: Journal of Religion and Science, 2003, 38 (4): 751–61, doi:10.1111/j.1467-9744.2003.00536.x, the best way to understand the charge of scientism is as a kind of logical fallacy involving improper usage of science or scientific claims.